rasial slur

Cierra Ortega’s exit from “Love Island USA” has stirred significant controversy following the resurfacing of a racist post attributed to her. Just days before her departure, Cierra’s friends took to social media to address the situation, which has left fans and viewers in shock. During the episode that aired on July 6, 2025, narrator Iain Stirling announced that Cierra had left the villa due to a “personal situation,” leaving her partner, Nic Vansteenberghe, officially single. While this news surprised some viewers, the underlying scandal had been brewing for several days. As filming for Season 7 was underway, sharp-eyed social media users uncovered a past post from Cierra that included an offensive racial slur. In response to the backlash, her friend and social media handler, MJ Hedderman, decided to step back from managing Cierra’s account amid the growing drama. In an Instagram Story shared on July 4, MJ stated, “Hi guys, I see your comments concerning someone I love and care about. I want to be clear that I do not condone racism, bigotry, or hate in any way, shape, or form, nor was I aware of the recent screenshots until they were posted. I discovered it at the same time as all of you did.” He further explained that he had been asked by Cierra’s family to turn off comments and refrain from speaking on her behalf, emphasizing the difficulty of the situation. Another friend of Cierra, Johnnie Olivia, echoed MJ’s sentiments in a similar statement. “I’m sure many of you have noticed that I’ve refrained from talking about Love Island and have stopped publicly supporting my friend on the show. This was after I saw a post involving a racial slur for the first time,” she wrote. Johnnie made it clear that she does not support or condone such language, stating, “Racism in any form is unacceptable.” The controversy surrounding Cierra is not an isolated incident. Multiple cast members from this season have faced backlash for their past social media posts after entering the villa. Contestants on “Love Island USA” are sequestered during filming and do not have access to their phones, which means they are unaware of the public’s reaction until they leave the show and regain their devices. Earlier this season, Yulissa Escobar was the first Islander to be removed from the villa after clips surfaced of her using racial slurs on a podcast. In a TikTok video, she shared her experience of being called to meet with producers and being informed that a video had resurfaced. “I didn’t really know what video or what I was saying or what I did,” she explained, adding that she felt scared and confused during the ordeal. Both the U.K. and U.S. versions of “Love Island” have faced their share of controversies over the years. For instance, in the U.K. version’s second season, contestant Malia Arkian was removed from the villa for engaging in a physical altercation with another cast member. In addition to Cierra and Yulissa, fellow contestant Austin Shepard also faced scrutiny for his online posts. On July 5, he addressed the situation through Instagram Stories, stating, “I want to take a moment to address my recent repost that has caused offense to some of you. It was never my intention to hurt or upset anyone.” As the fallout from Cierra’s exit continues to unfold, fellow contestant Jeremiah Brown revealed that Islanders typically learn about someone’s departure only after they have been informed by producers. “They said she left for personal reasons — I can say that. I found out later after getting my phone back that it was because of whatever happened,” he shared. New episodes of “Love Island USA” are set to be released six days a week, excluding Wednesdays, on Peacock, as fans eagerly await the latest developments in the villa.