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Yulissa Escobar's journey on Love Island USA came to an abrupt end just one episode into Season 7, following the resurfacing of podcast clips in which she repeatedly used racial slurs.
Eighteen minutes into the second episode, aired on Wednesday, June 4, series narrator Iain Stirling announced, "Yulissa has left the villa." No further explanation was provided on the show regarding her exit. Although Peacock confirmed her departure when contacted by media outlets, it did not elaborate on the reason.
Escobar had coupled up with contestant Ace Greene during the premiere episode. However, Greene had already formed a pairing with Chelley Bissainthe, sparking immediate tensions among viewers and fellow islanders. Despite the brief time in the villa, Escobar's actions and past comments quickly caught up with her.
Shortly after the cast was revealed on May 29, audiences unearthed troubling clips of Escobar from two separate podcast appearances. In these clips, obtained by TMZ, she is heard using the N-word multiple times. The backlash was swift. Fans flooded Escobar's social media accounts with critical comments and vowed to vote her off once in-app voting began.
The controversy surrounding Escobar overshadowed what was supposed to be an exciting new season. The show itself experienced a rocky launch, with its June 3 premiere delayed by nearly 45 minutes due to technical issues. Despite this, viewers were introduced to the original cast of ten singles, including Jeremiah Brown, Nicolas Vansteenberghe, Taylor Williams, Austin Shepard, Belle-A Walker, Huda Mustafa, and Olandria Carthen.
New bombshells Cierra Ortega and Charlie Georgiou joined the villa on opening night, while Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix returned as host.
Meanwhile, Escobar is not the only contestant to face scrutiny. Another islander, Austin Shepard, drew criticism after screenshots of his TikTok "likes" surfaced, reportedly showing support for former President Donald Trump. However, Shepard remains on the show.
Escobar has yet to issue a public response to the backlash. Love Island USA continues to stream daily—except Wednesdays—on Peacock.
