"Producers did Sophie dirty"— Love Island fans react to Shakira coupling up with Harry and "dumping" the islander

In Love Island season 12 episode 2, Shakirah received another chance to solidify her place in the villa after a shocking twist threatened her position on the show. After spending time with the islanders and getting to know them further, the cast was recalled to the fire pit for another ceremony.

Host Maya Jama informed the male islanders that they had a chance to let go of their current match and couple up with Shakira, but revealed that their current partner would be immediately dumped from the villa. She asked which male islanders believed they had a better connection with Sophie and Harry, Conor, and Blu stood up.

Out of the three, Shakira chose Harry, which meant his partner, Sophie, was dumped from the villa. Fans online reacted to the elimination and were upset to see the cast member go home. One person wrote on X:

"Producers did Sophie dirty, she got the chance to tell her story atleast of being a burn victim survivor."

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"JUSTICE FOR SOPHIE! Stop with this bullsh*t first boot within 24 hours! its awful and doesnt help the series to get any better!" a fan commented.

"Omg I’m so happy Alima is safe but Sophie did not deserve that OMG. F*ck you production worst start to a season ever," a tweet read.

Fans of Love Island felt Sophie's elimination was cruel:

"What if Sophie's family & friends all sat down to watch #LoveIsland. What if her workplace were talking about her being on the show. What if she posted on her Instagram "off to find love in the villa" to all her followers only for her to be dumped after 2 episodes. This is cruel," a person wrote.

"I’m gonna say what everyone else was thinking. The producers were 99% sure that Sophie would end up dumped after their day one twist. Giving the boys an out on day one. I see you," a fan commented.

"Sophie didn't deserve that. Why not just keep her single for the next week? It's just so cruel. Why do they hate diversity so much there," a tweet read.

Fans of Love Island season 12 further said:

"The whole of the uk watching sophie (one of the only girls with a personality) get dumped, meaning we have to see shakira and the abysmal harry interact whilst blu continues to disrespect alima. Take me back to li USA already," a person wrote.

"Maybe they’re going to Bergie her, because this makes absolutely zero sense. Bergie (of the USA season 5 series) got fake dumped. Then he was sent to the hideaway to spend the night with 2 lovely bombshells and brought them back into the villa the next morning," a fan commented.

Shakira's choice to pair up with Harry ends Sophie's Love Island season 12 journey

In Love Island season 12 episode 2, the host Maya Jama gathered the islanders at the fire pit. She told the male islanders to stand up if they felt that they had a stronger connection with Shakira than their current partners. However, she also informed them that if Shakira picked them, their current partner would be dumped from the villa.

Blu, Conor, and Harry stood up, which put their partners, Alima, Helena, and Sophie, respectively, at risk of going home. Shakira told the Love Island cast it was an "incredibly difficult" decision to make because it would send one of three female cast members home, but she needed to go with what her gut said.

Shakira got emotional and clarified with the host about what would happen, and Maya confirmed that her decision would end someone else's journey on the ITV reality show. The contestant told the host she didn't know who she was going to pick. The host advised her to pick who she thought she was most compatible with.

"The person I would pick is coupled up with someone who I'm friends with," Shakira said.

After deliberating further, Shakira made up her mind and picked Harry, who was coupled up with Sophie. Maya Jama informed the cast member that it meant that she had been dumped from Love Island and asked her to say goodbye to the other islanders and leave the villa.

Fans online reacted to Sophie's shocking elimination and criticized the show's production for the twist that sent her packing.

Tune in on June 11, 2025, to watch episode 3 of Love Island season 12 on ITV.

About the author

Sukriti is a Reality TV writer for the pop culture division of Sportskeeda. A graduation in Political Science initially sparked her interest in journalism; however, over time, she found herself drawn to combining her passion for writing with her fascination for pop culture. With a diverse background spanning 4 years, she likes to maintain dignity and accuracy in her work, ensuring that sensitive matters are reported with integrity and using credible sources.

Sukriti appreciates how reality television offers unique insights into the lives of celebrities and influential personalities, showcasing both their triumphs and vulnerabilities. She is a big fan of Ariana Madix from Vanderpump Rules, for her ability to navigate challenging situations gracefully.

She has had the privilege of interviewing prominent cast members from popular shows like Squid Game: The Challenge such as Charles ‘Chaz’ Roquemore, Jinwoo Oak, Radhika, Mutty B. Mark Gilloffo, along with the cast members from Love at First Lie - Monica Bulnes and Josh Riquelme.

Outside of work, Sukriti finds joy in traveling to offbeat destinations, particularly in the hills, and spending quality time with her cats. She also remains engaged with current affairs, seeking to educate herself on social and political developments worldwide.

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Edited by Sukriti Makhija