‘Temptation Island’ Host Mark L. Walberg Reveals the Couples’ Cheating Rules Go ‘Out the Window’ on the Island (Exclusive)

Temptation Island couples may draw hard lines in the sand about what constitutes cheating as they separate to explore their relationship in villas filled with singles, but host Mark L. Walberg knows those rules go “out the window” as soon as people get in their heads about what their significant other might be doing on the other side of the island. Ahead of Thursday’s all-new episode of the USA Network show, the man who has been with Temptation Island since the start dished to PopCulture.com on how the best of intentions can turn into full-on infidelity.

As couples Ashley Howland and Casey Starkchak, Ashley Goldson and Rick Fleur, Kate Griffith and David Benavidez, and Esonica Veira and Gavin Rocker try to determine if they’ve found their soulmate or are simply settling, Walberg tells PopCulture.com he tries not to put any moral weight on their interactions with the singles.

“I try not to judge them, and look — cheating, not cheating — I get that phrase quit a bit,” Walberg explains, adding that while you can go by the clearer guidelines that exist in a relationship outside of the island, “Anything you would do to hurt the other person is kind of cheating.”

As for all those hard and fast rules set before the couples split up on Temptation Island? Walberg knows “all that goes out the window” as soon as a person starts to doubt what their significant other is doing with their set of singles — and all it takes is one bonfire clip.

“At the end of the day, everyone is here on their own exploration,” Walberg notes. “I say to them at the very beginning that I am committed to their experience fully and support them in any way possible, but at times there’s gonna be tough love.”

It’s because of this exploration that Walberg refrains from making predictions about the fate of the couples every season, admitting, “If I were to make predictions on day one, I would be completely wrong. …You can predict on day one what’s gonna happen if neither one of them changes, but so much happens.”

Watching these couples strain and struggle to determine what’s best for them both individually and together is tough, but Walberg thinks it’s “even more relevant” now than ever.

“Dating today is harder than ever, and is something I’m happy I don’t participate in,” he admits. “All you got to do is open up Instagram and there’s temptation on every corner.”

Temptation Island airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on USA.

Photo credit: USA