"He's not my type" — Love Island USA host Ariana reveals how her boyfriend feels about Austin flirting with her 

Love Island USA continues to bring unexpected moments — not just among the contestants, but with its host as well. In an exclusive interview with E! News on July 1, 2025, show host Ariana Madix opened up about contestant Austin Shepard’s flirtatious behavior towards her and how her boyfriend, Daniel Wai, felt about it.

While Austin made his interest clear during games and villa interactions, Ariana clarified that there’s no reason for concern at home.

“My boyfriend knows it—he's not my type. But I do find it quite flattering. It's nice,” she said about Austin’s playful comments.

Austin's interest was most visible during the dominatrix-themed challenge, where he jokingly asked to be spanked by Ariana. While some moments went unnoticed by her during filming, Ariana later caught them while watching episodes back.

“Sometimes it's these things that I don't necessarily hear in the moment, and then it's in the episode, and I'm like, 'Wait, I didn't hear that,'” she added.

From light teasing to surprise gestures like helping her up the stairs, Ariana noted Austin's behavior stood out, but she maintained her stance that she’s just enjoying the role while remaining focused on the show.

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Austin’s on-screen behavior caught Ariana’s attention in Love Island USA

During the interview, Love Island USA host Ariana reflected on how Austin Shepard’s actions made an impression, especially when watching the episodes back.

“He does always sprint to help me up the stairs, which I do appreciate,” she shared.

Despite sometimes being annoyed by what she saw on-screen, Ariana admitted that Austin’s helpfulness softened her reactions.

“Sometimes he might really annoy me, or he might do something that makes me upset watching the episode... and then I go into the villa, and he's wanting to help me. I'm like, 'I can't be mad anymore,’” she explained.

Ariana also mentioned that many of Austin’s cheeky comments happened during filming without her noticing in real time. It’s only when she revisited the footage that she became aware of the full extent of his flirtation. “It makes me laugh,” she said. She said that even though she had to stay neutral as the host, moments like this still made things more fun for her.

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Ariana on balancing hosting, public reaction, and personal life

Beyond Love Island USA villa, Ariana’s hosting role intersects with her personal life, especially when flirty moments become public discussion. In the interview, she revealed that watching the episodes at home often includes her partner Daniel Wai.

While Austin once said on the show that he’d couple up with her if he could, Ariana and Daniel take it in stride. “It's nice,” she said about the attention, but also reaffirmed that it doesn’t affect her relationship.

Ariana then discussed her Instacart partnership during the conversation, noting how convenient the service is for her regular watch parties.

“I'm personally a big Instacart user... I have friends coming over and I realize I don't have wine or I don't have snacks,” she said.

Despite the extra spotlight, Ariana maintained that being Love Island USA host doesn’t mean she’s part of the drama.

Ariana also talked about times when she gave advice to contestants during emotional moments but stayed calm and neutral. Whether it was about how the show is edited or how cast members act, she said she just focuses on doing her job and doesn’t take the attention too seriously.

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Watch the latest episodes of Love Island USA available to stream on Peacock.