It was a red wedding episode on Love Island USA in one of the most dramatic dumpings in the show’s history. The drama is usually between the islanders but this time host Sarah Hyland was caught in the middle.
The tension is always high when Hyland shows up in the villa as islanders know someone is most likely being dumped. When the show’s host revealed that Keenan Anunay was the boy with the least votes and therefore being dumped, a series of events was triggered.
Vickala Gray, who was coupled up with Anunay, asked to speak during the dumping ceremony and said, “I would like to voluntarily also leave. I feel like I found what I came here for and I’d like to leave with Keenan.”
Gray’s time to leave the villa was voluntary, which shocked Hyland. To make sure that Gray was making the correct decision in leaving the show, Hyland said, “Before you go anywhere, I just… I want to make sure that you’re absolutely happy with your decision.”
“No regrets,” Gray replied.
Islander Mike Starks inserted himself after perceiving a tone from Hyland that he didn’t like and told the show’s host, “Why are you saying it like that?”
“Me?” a shocked Hyland asked.
“Yeah, it sounded mad disrespectful,” Starks added.
“I’m being disrespectful?” Hyland questioned.
“Yeah,” Starks doubled-down.
Hyland was left flabbergasted and simply said, “OK, then.”
Leonardo Dionicio, who was in the vulnerable line awaiting his fate in the game and standing in the middle of Hyland and Starks, whispered in the show’s host’s ear, “Sarah, I apologize for his reaction. I think it’s just the heat of the moment.”
“Thank you,” Hyland told Dionicio and then added, “Boys will be boys, right?”
At the end of the night, Starks was another islander that was dumped from the show following the public vote in an episode Hyland called a “red wedding.”
Starks didn’t address his comments to Hyland in his exit from the villa.
Love Island USA Season 5 streams on Peacock.
Watch the tense moment in the video posted below.