Love Island USA Season is only just underway, but controversy has already rocked the villa. Contestant Yulissa Escobar was abruptly removed less than minutes into Episode after videos resurfaced online of her using racial slurs in past podcasts.
The announcement came without warning: narrator Iain Stirling simply stated, “Yulissa has left the villa,” leaving viewers to piece together the cause. The decision followed a wave of backlash on social media after the clips, in which Escobar used the N-word while recounting relationship stories, went viral before the season’s premiere Fans had already pledged to vote her off as soon as possible, but producers acted first, removing her from the show before the public could weigh in.
Escobar had initially coupled up with Ace Greene, but her time in the villa was cut short before any relationships could develop. In a statement after her exit, Yulissa expressed remorse, acknowledging the harm caused by her words and stating that she was unaware of the pain and history behind the slur at the time.
The rest of the cast, including Jeremiah Brown, Chelley Bissainthe, Huda Mustafa, and Belle-A Walker, continue their search for love as the season airs nightly on Peacock, except Wednesdays, at p.m. ET.
