Love Island USA dismisses first cast member – UK Times

Love Island USA is kicking a new islander out of the villa days before the season eight premiere, marking the second year in a row that cast members have been fired over resurfaced videos of them using racial slurs.

Vasana Montgomery has been pulled from the group and will no longer appear in the reality dating show, which returns June 2 on Peacock.

Montgomery, 25, was shown using the n-word in two different videos that resurfaced and began circulating online after she was announced as a member of the season eight cast. The videos appeared to have been shared privately and were not viewed during the vetting process, according to a Peacock spokesperson.

Her removal from the show came two days after the season eight cast was announced. In Peacock’s cast announcement teaser video, Montgomery said: “I think I am the full package. I own a business; I live alone; I have a dog. If you were to ask my friends what my type is, they’d show you the world map.”

Peacock did not immediately return The Independent’s request for comment on the matter.

Montgomery’s exit comes after last summer’s season was plagued with its own racist scandals.

Last year, Yulissa Escobar was removed during the second episode of season seven after videos of her using the n-word emerged online.

Later in the season, Cierra Ortega left the villa because a video resurfaced of her using a racist term for Asian people. She said at the time that she “had no idea” the word was a slur.

Within hours of Ortega leaving the Fiji set, Huda Mustafa became the subject of a similar controversy when a resurfaced TikTok video appeared to show her lip-syncing the n-word. However, Mustafa was kept on the show and made it to the season finale.

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It is unclear if Love Island USA plans to replace Montgomery ahead of the season premiere Tuesday. Montgomery has not spoken publicly about her dismissal from the cast.

Hosted by Ariana Madix for the third year in the row, Love Island USA follows a group of single people who enter a villa for the summer to couple up and compete in challenges.

This season’s cast includes contestants like Paralympic athlete Beatriz Hatz and British-born islander Zach Georgiou, whose brother Charlie was featured on the show last season.

Love Island USA will air new episodes daily during its premiere week. For every week after, the show drops episodes each day except for Wednesdays.