‘Love Island’ USA Stars Cely Vazquez and Johnny Middlebrooks Announce Split

Cely Vazquez and Johnny Middlebrooks, who starred in Season 2 of the U.S. version of Love Island, announced their break-up on social media Saturday. The two appeared on the show’s second season, which aired in August and September. The show was filmed at The Cromwell Las Vegas casino hotel under strict coronavirus safety guidelines.

“Because you’ve all been such a close part of our relationship, I wanted to share with you that Johnny and I are no longer together,” Vazquez wrote on Twitter. She noted that while their relationship played out on television, she asked fans to respect their privacy. “There is no reason to speculate, I am so thankful for our time together, but now it’s simply time for each of us to focus on our own personal journey,” Vazquez continued. “I hope that you continue to support each of us individually as we move forward, heal, and continue to follow our dreams.”

As for Middlebrooks, he shared a screenshot of Vazquez’s tweet on his Instagram Story, reports Us Weekly. He added his own message as well, thanking Vazquez for the time they spent together during an “unforgettable journey.” Middlebrooks continued, “I will forever cherish the fun we had, the laughs we shared, and the memories we created. Thank you to all of the fans who loved and supported us the whole way through. Much love.”

Vazquez and Middlebrooks still have photos of each other up on their social media accounts. Middlebrooks last appeared on Vazquez’s Instagram page on Dec. 20, when the two were enjoying some sun in Newport Beach, California. “Every time I look into your eyes I see it,” she wrote alongside the photos from their beach picnic. “You’re all I need,” Middlebrooks wrote alongside a photo from the same day.

The former couple met early on in Love Island Season 2 and continued dating after filming wrapped, notes PEOPLE. Though the two had faced some trouble during their relationship on the show with Middlebrooks ultimately cheating on her while at Casa Amor, they reconciled before the season finale. The CBS TV show is based on a U.K. series of the same name and features a group of contestants living in an island villa. Islanders are eliminated if they break up with another contestant or voted off by the public. The second season was scheduled to start in May, but it was postponed and relocated to Las Vegas. The winners were Justine Ndiba and Caleb Corprew, with Vazquez and Middlebrooks as runners up.