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Love Island USA Has a Racism Problem, and It Keeps Getting Worse

Three confirmed removals. A fourth under fire. Two seasons. One question that needs an answer: how does this keep happening on Peacock's most-watched show?

By Devario Johnson Madison Ave Magazine  · Entertainment 10 min read
Love Island | Madison Ave Magazine

Love Island USA became Peacock’s most-watched original series during Season 7, logging more than 18 billion minutes of viewing over six weeks. The show is appointment television. But across the last two seasons, it has also become something else entirely: a recurring showcase for racist behavior that keeps forcing production to remove contestant after contestant.

The pattern is nearly identical each time. A cast member enters the villa or gets announced. Fans immediately comb through their social media history. Old videos and screenshots surface. A slur appears. Production scrambles. The contestant is removed. An apology follows, and then the cycle starts over weeks later with someone new.

DEVARIO JOHNSON

Devario Johnson is the founder and creative lead of Madison Avenue Magazine and Derek Madison Media, where he shapes culture through editorial storytelling, original photography, and platform design. As a fashion editor, media entrepreneur, and senior technology leader, he blends style, innovation, and narrative across every venture. As a former world-class athlete, he brings the same discipline and vision to all his creative pursuits.