Cierra Ortega has left the Love Island villa. Her sudden departure from Season 7 of “Love Island USA” was announced during Sunday night’s episode, with narrator Iain Stirling revealing that she exited the show for “personal reasons.” No further explanation was given during the broadcast, which marked Episode 30 of the season.
The 25-year-old’s exit left fellow contestant Nic Vansteenberghe single and visibly shaken. In a confessional, he admitted feeling “lost” after losing what he described as his “strongest connection.”
Ortega’s departure follows growing online backlash as past slurs allegedly made by her resurfaced on social media. Fans swiftly called for her removal, drawing comparisons to the recent exit of contestant Yulissa Escoba in June under similar circumstances.
Reps for NBC and Peacock have not responded to media inquiries, and Ortega herself has not commented publicly. However, her parents released a statement via Instagram Stories on her account over the weekend, writing, “While Cierra is not in the villa anymore, she is still away. She hasn’t had the chance to process any of this or speak for herself. But we know our daughter. We know her heart. And when she returns, we believe she’ll face this with honesty, growth, and grace.”
They added, “While she’ll always be our little girl, she’s also a woman, one who will take responsibility in her own time and her own voice. Until then, we’re simply asking for compassion.”
Addressing the reaction online, Ortega’s family wrote, “It’s uncalled for. And no one deserves that kind of hate, no matter what mistake they’ve made.” They clarified that they are not seeking to “justify or ignore what’s surfaced because accountability matters,” but emphasized that the current online treatment “is far beyond that.”
Former contestant Bella-A Walker, who had left the villa following Ortega’s arrival, also weighed in on Instagram. “I do not condone bigotry or racism of any kind. But I also don’t condone hate either. Please think twice before leaving unkind comments to or about this person,” she said, expressing heartbreak over the controversy and confirming she had unfollowed Ortega.
The situation also prompted a response from Ortega’s social media handler, MJ Hedderman, who said, “I want to be clear that I do not condone racism, bigotry or hate in any way shape or form. … This situation has been really difficult, and I’m still processing everything.” Hedderman noted they had taken a “step back” from managing Ortega’s account.
Host Ariana Madix, 40, came under scrutiny from fans who demanded she speak out on the issue. In response to claims of silence, the “Vanderpump Rules” alum fired back online, stating, “not silent. you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
