Washington DC [US], July 7 : 'Love Island USA' fans are shocked after Cierra Ortega, one of the original contestants of the show, left the show for undisclosed reasons, reported Variety.
The show's narrator, Iain Stirling, confirmed via voiceover that Cierra "left the villa due to a personal situation" and therefore, Nic Vansteenberg, with whom she had been in an exclusive couple for several episodes, was now "officially single," as per the outlet.
No reason was given for Ortega's departure, except that it was for "personal" reasons.
According to Variety, after the sudden departure of Ortega, the show cuts to a conversation between Nic and fellow contestant Ace Greene, with Nic sharing confusion and disappointment now that Cierra is no longer in the villa.
Cierra's abrupt exit from 'Love Island USA' came amid an avalanche of backlash against her on social media after an alleged social media post from her past resurfaced online in which she used racist language, reported Variety.
Fans were calling for Cierra's removal in the wake of the offensive post resurfacing.
Earlier, another original contestant, Yulissa Escobar, was kicked off the show after two episodes for using racial slurs in old podcast clips that resurfaced online, according to the outlet.
"In those clips, I used a word I never should've used, a racial slur," Escobar wrote on her Instagram account in an apology post after her removal.
"I used it ignorantly, not fully understanding the weight, history, or pain behind it. I wasn't trying to be offensive or harmful, but I now recognise that intention doesn't excuse the impact. And the impact of that word is real. It's tied to generations of trauma, and it is not mine to use," added Escobar, as quoted by Variety.
She continued: "At the time, I was speaking casually in conversation, not thinking deeply or critically about what I was saying. But that doesn't take away from how wrong it was. The truth is, I didn't know better then, but I do now. I've taken the time to reflect, to learn, and to grow from that moment."
'Love Island USA' is a dating reality show that has been adapted from the British series of the same name.
The show features a group of contestants, referred to as Islanders, who live in isolation from the outside world in a villa. To survive in the villa and the game, the Islanders must be coupled up with another Islander, whether it be for love, friendship, or survival.
The islanders who fail to form a couple with another islander get eliminated from the show. Islanders can also be eliminated via a public vote during the series.
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