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Ariana Madix weighed in on the overwhelming reaction to the heated moments that were caught between Islanders on season 8 of Love Island USA.
“I was a little bit surprised [by the response]. For me, these are adults living [together] and it’s an adult show,” Ariana, 42, who has been hosting the hit Peacock series since 2024, exclusively told Us while promoting her partnership with Orgain.
Ariana reminded viewers that the show was rated TV-MA, adding, “So for me, the audience should be expecting people to act like adults in adult relationships. And people in adult relationships tend to get physical with each other on various different levels of whatever they’re feeling.”
The Love Island USA host showed support for how everyone navigated their villa relationships.
“I support every islander in their journey of how physical — or if not physical — that they want to be in the villa,” Ariana continued. “I don’t think anyone should be shaming them for either direction that they take.”
She continued: “When that becomes a topic of discussion, I just sometimes wonder if maybe they’re first-time viewers potentially. Because if we go back to Love Island UK season 1, that’s on another level.”
The Love Island franchise originally began in the U.K. in 2002 before expanding worldwide with various spinoffs, including Love Island USA on Peacock. The series follows a different group of singles every season who have to pair off in order to stay in the show’s luxury villa for the chance to win $100,000.
The contestants — referred to as Islanders — live in isolation in a villa and are under constant video surveillance as they attempt to find love.
Ariana has had a front row seat since she joined the franchise in season 6. While the reality star couldn’t confirm her return for season 9, she was surprised by the online speculation into her future as the host.
“I do [see that]. And obviously I can’t speak yet to what’s going to be happening next season,” she noted. “We did announce already that I will be hosting Love Island Games next year.”
While Ariana “can’t say anything that speaks to” plans for season 9 of Love Island USA, she saw the concern.
“I do wonder that sometimes. [People on social media have] been saying that every year and I always wonder where that comes from,” she added. “I have seen comments online that say there’s some sort of two-year thing and I’ve always wondered where did that [rumor come from?”
Ariana appreciated the outpouring of love, adding, “But you know what? It is really nice because so many of those comments will be so positive in the sense that they’re wondering because they’re hoping that I will be back. So that’s really great. But yeah, nothing’s been said. So I don’t know where they come up with that.”
Ariana, who recently earned her first Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program, is currently preparing to host the season 8 reunion of Love Island USA.
She is also partnering up with Orgain for their plant-based protein powder, which has become part of her morning routine.
“This has been such an easy alignment because this is something that I do every day. It was something I was doing every day leading up to going to Fiji,” she explained to Us. “I — no joke — had to have someone bring tubs of it to Fiji so that I could continue on my protein iced coffee routine in the morning.”
Madix loved incorporating Orgain as part of her workouts — especially the Vanilla Bean flavor.
“When I first got back from Fiji, of course, I was jet lagged. I was struggling a little bit in [those] first few days to get back into my routine and now I’m back,” she said. “So I have my 21 grams of protein in my iced coffee every morning. I know myself, so I know that I’m not going to get up in the morning and make an elaborate smoothie and mess up my kitchen and do all of that before I head out the door.”
She continued: “My schedule is so different every day. So I know that if I can just start with that 21 grams of protein, I’m already at a headstart for hitting my goals for the day. Obviously, I love to work out, I love to lift weights, and if I’m not getting enough protein within that and I’m not hitting the right things for my diet, then I’m not going to build the muscle. And that’s really important to me. So this is the perfect thing to fit into my day for me.”
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