Why Did Yulissa Leave ‘Love Island USA’ Season 7? Here’s What to Know

Love Island USA has removed contestant Yulissa Escobar from Season 7.

After podcast clips of Escobar using racial slurs surfaced online, the Peacock dating show removed her from the villa with little in-show explanation.

About 18 minutes into Wednesday’s episode, as the islanders were waking up for a new day in the villa, narrator Iain Stirling announced simply, “Yulissa has left the villa.” It’s unclear if Escobar was removed in the middle of the night or if she had been edited out of the episode.

News broke on TMZ after Escobar’s casting on Season 7 that she had used the N-word multiple times on multiple podcasts while talking about her previous relationships.

Love Island USA viewers quickly called for her removal from the show and rallied in the comment section to encourage others to vote her off once audience voting began this season.

Escobar isn’t the only Season 7 islander whose online activity has come under fire. Shortly after the original cast was announced, one social media user shared screenshots on X (formerly Twitter) of Austin Shepard’s alleged TikTok “likes,” which included several posts supporting President Donald Trump. Shepard remains on the show.

Remaining in the villa for now are original islanders Chelley Bissainthe, Huda Mustafa, Belle-A Walker, Olandria Carthen, Ace Greene, Taylor Williams, Nicolas Vansteenberghe, and Jeremiah Brown. The new bombshells who entered the villa during the Season 7 premiere are Cierra Ortega and Charlie Georgiou.

Vanderpump Rules alum Ariana Madix returned this season as the show’s host, while Stirling continues to narrate both the U.S. and U.K. versions of the show.

Following premiere week, Love Island USA Season 7 will air every day, except Wednesdays, at 9 p.m. ET on Peacock.