I believe Love Island USA made the right call by addressing Yulissa Escobar’s exit promptly

Love Island USA Season 7 premiered on June 3, 2025, with 10 Islanders entering the Fiji villa hoping to find love. But just one day after the first episode aired on Peacock, controversy erupted. Yulissa Escobar, one of the original contestants, exited the villa ahead of episode 2.

At around the 17-minute mark, the show’s narrator, Iain Stirling, simply said, “Yulissa has left the villa,” with no additional explanation given. However, the timing of the exit aligned with backlash on social media over resurfaced racist comments allegedly made by Yulissa in a past podcast.

Fans quickly circulated a clip where she casually used the n-word multiple times, leading to widespread criticism and demands for accountability. In my opinion, while the exit wasn’t directly addressed in detail, Love Island USA’s quick response helped limit further damage and showed that the show was listening to its audience.

With reality TV under increasing scrutiny for who it casts and what it tolerates, acting swiftly—even without full transparency—was the most responsible thing to do. Fans took to social media demanding action, and the show responded in time to maintain its integrity.

Love Island USA handles the situation quietly but decisively

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While episode 2 offered no official explanation for Yulissa’s departure beyond Iain Stirling’s brief line, fans were already aware of the growing online outrage. As soon as Peacock announced the season 7 cast, internet users uncovered footage of Yulissa on a podcast using racial slurs, including repeated use of the n-word.

Social media was swift to react. Many viewers appreciated that the show production sent her home.

“the love island voice over guy said “yulissa left” point blank PERIOD & Kept it pushing," one post read.

In my opinion, the show did the right thing by removing her from the cast quickly. While no formal apology or explanation was given on air, the quiet approach may have been intentional to avoid giving the offensive behavior more screen time. As reality shows evolve, there’s increasing pressure to be accountable for casting decisions and the impact contestants’ past actions may have on audiences.

The fact that Yulissa was gone by the second episode of Love Island USA sends a clear message: actions have consequences—even if they happened before the show. Whether or not further statements are released, the producers’ decision to address the situation early helps preserve the show’s credibility going forward.

Love Island USA acted fast — now casting needs to catch up

This isn’t the first time a reality show contestant has left because of something from their past being shared online. But since Love Island is a well-known show in both the U.S. and the U.K., more people are now asking if the casting process is careful enough.

Producers are expected to check contestants' backgrounds properly, especially for big shows like this. In Yulissa’s case, the podcast clip wasn’t hard to find. It started spreading soon after the cast was announced, which means either the team didn’t see it or didn’t think it was serious enough.

In my opinion, this shows that casting teams need to look more closely at what people have shared online. A person’s online history is now an important part of whether they should be chosen. Just this week, Love Island UK also removed someone from the cast because of legal trouble. Clearly, the show’s team is under pressure on both sides.

Still, the U.S. team acted faster than many other shows do. Often, these issues take a few episodes to be addressed, but this one was handled early. Even though fans still want more details, acting quickly was a good first step.

As Love Island USA continues, it can now focus on the couples and connections in the villa without this issue hanging over the season. But this moment is a reminder that who gets cast matters, and it’s important to take responsibility before filming even starts.

Love Island USA season 7 episodes are availalble to stream on Peacock.

About the author

Sindhura Venkatesh is a popular culture writer at Sportskeeda who covers all things reality TV. Although her educational background is in engineering, Sindhura believes it has provided her with a strong foundation in analytical thinking and problem-solving. Despite her technical training, she discovered a passion for writing early on in her career. Sindhura loves the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of pop culture and reality TV, which reflect society's trends, interests, and values.

With over 4 years of professional experience, Sindhura began her career in marketing before transitioning into training and teaching. She has previously worked with companies like Edureka, The/Nudge Foundation, BYJU's, Unacademy, and Maiuetic.

For Sindhura, ensuring accuracy through relentless research and fact-checking is paramount, and she strives to present diverse perspectives with objectivity, all while adhering to ethical standards. Her focus is on delivering timely, relevant content that is mindful of privacy concerns. Further, transparency is key to Sindhura’s reportage, as it helps foster trust with her audience.

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Edited by Sindhura Venkatesh