FIJI — Vasana Montgomery was removed from the cast of 'Love Island USA' Season 8 before the season premiered on June 2. Peacock confirmed that Montgomery will no longer appear on the show after two videos circulated on social media showing her appearing to use a racial slur—once while singing along to a song and another time while yelling at an arcade game.
The videos were not publicly shared until after the Season 8 cast announcement. Montgomery, 25, from Beaverton, Oregon, had appeared in promotional material for the season, including a teaser in which she 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."
This marks the third time in two seasons that a 'Love Island USA' contestant has been removed following the resurfacing of past offensive language. In Season 7, Yulissa Escobar was removed after videos emerged of her using the same racial slur in a podcast appearance. That same season, Cierra Ortega was cut from the cast after old social media posts showed her use of an anti-Chinese slur. Ortega later posted an accountability video in which she said, "This is an accountability video. I do want to hold my hands up and say that I take accountability for using the word, but I do want it to be known that I genuinely had no idea that it was a slur. I had no idea of its meaning."
Peacock had issued a public statement before the Season 8 cast reveal urging fans to be kind and respectful to contestants online. The network posted, "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. This is a space for fun, not negativity — so keep it kind, keep it positive, and remember: this is LOVE Island!"
As of Sunday, the show had not publicly addressed Montgomery’s removal or announced an alternate contestant. The show also did not tag contestants’ Instagram handles in the Season 8 cast announcement, and comments are restricted on contestants’ personal pages. Season 7 of 'Love Island USA' became Peacock’s most-watched original season of all time, with more than 18 billion minutes viewed.