Vasana Montgomery removed from 'Love Island USA' Season 8 over racism

A Love Island USA contestant has been removed just days before the reality dating show’s latest season is set to premiere.

According to multiple reports, new cast member Vasana Montgomery — a 25-year-old business owner from Beaverton, Oregon — has been removed from the upcoming Season 8 after videos surfaced showing her using the N-word.

The videos emerged just two days after the Season 8 cast was revealed, with Variety noting that the videos were originally posted to a private account, meaning that they “would not have been viewable during Peacock’s vetting process.”

Her appearance from the cast announcement posts has not been removed. 

Notably, this isn’t the first time a Love Island contestant has been kicked off for using a racial slur. Last season, contestant Yulissa Escobar was removed during the show's second episode after videos surfaced of her using the same slur. Later in the season, Cierra Ortega also exited after old posts containing a racist term directed at Asian people resurfaced.

Montgomery’s departure leaves 11 contestants still set to enter the villa when the new season premieres on June 2 on Peacock. Returning host Ariana Madix will once again oversee the dating competition.

As anticipation builds for the new season, Love Island USA has already urged viewers to keep discussions respectful. In a statement shared on the show's Instagram page on May 27, producers wrote: "The Villa runs on good vibes, and so does this community. We love seeing your reactions, opinions and debates, but everyone deserves to feel safe and respected."

The message concluded: "This is a space for fun, not negativity — so keep it king, keep it positive, and remember: this is LOVE Island!"