Cierra Ortega, a star on Love Island USA, has left the show, citing "personal reasons" as racial slurs she reportedly made in the past have resurfaced.

Her departure was announced by narrator Iain Stirling during episode 30 on Sunday, July 6, per PEOPLE.

Her abrupt departure left fellow contestant Nic Vansteenberghe single and the rest of the cast stunned.

The 25-year-old content creator’s exit came after multiple racist social media posts she allegedly made resurfaced, including at least two containing slurs offensive to Chinese people.

Ortega’s parents addressed the scandal in a statement on her Instagram Stories, calling it “one of the most painful weeks of our lives.”

“We’re not here to justify or ignore what’s surfaced,” they wrote. “We understand why people are upset, and we know accountability matters. But what’s happening online right now has gone far beyond that.”

They continued: “The threats. The cruel messages. The attacks on her family, her friends, even her supporters, it’s heartbreaking. It’s uncalled for. And no one deserves that kind of hate, no matter what mistake they’ve made.”

Her family added: “While Cierra is not in the villa anymore, she is still away. She hasn’t had the chance to process any of this or speak for herself. But we know our daughter. We know her heart. And when she returns, we believe she’ll face this with honesty, growth, and grace.”

“While she’ll always be our little girl, she’s also a woman, one who will take responsibility in her own time and her own voice. Until then, we’re simply asking for compassion. For patience. For basic human decency. Not just for her, but for everyone caught in the middle of this.”

They ended with gratitude to those who continue to show “love and support” during the controversy.

Ortega reportedly used a racial slur in a January 2015 post describing her smile and again in February 2023 while getting Botox, leading to her losing over 200,000 followers within 48 hours, according to the Daily Mail.

A petition demanding her removal from Season 7 garnered over 17,000 signatures before her exit.

Following her departure, Belle-A Walker, who had been dumped from the villa after Ortega’s arrival, praised producers for “taking a stand” against racism in an Instagram Stories post.

“When I first saw what my fellow Islander said on their social media pages, I was incredibly heartbroken,” Walker wrote.

“But I wanted to wait until they left the villa and were able to address the situation, genuinely apologize, and commit to learning from the experience before deciding how our relationship would look moving forward.”

“As screenshots continued to surface, it became clear that I could no longer support this person, and made the decision to unfollow them a couple of days ago,” Walker continued.

“Asian hate is oftentimes overlooked and dismissed. But being a first-generation American, I have personally witnessed and experienced how real and hurtful comments like these are.”

Walker expressed hope that the moment would highlight “anti-Asian hate” and the “hardship” her family has faced, adding: “I do not condone bigotry or racism of any kind. But I also don’t condone hate either. Please think twice before leaving unkind comments to or about this person. I love you all so much.”

Featured image credit: Noam Galai / Getty

Cierra Ortega has spoken out for the first time following her July 6 exit from Love Island USA after past posts resurfaced in which she used racial slurs.

The 25-year-old’s departure from the Fiji villa was initially announced as due to a “personal situation” during Episode 30 on July 6, as narrated by Iain Stirling, per PEOPLE.

However, the exit followed the resurfacing of social media posts where Ortega allegedly used slurs offensive to Chinese people, leading to a petition demanding her removal that garnered over 17,000 signatures.

According to the Daily Mail, Ortega lost over 200,000 followers within 48 hours after the posts circulated.

“I Am Deeply, Truly, Honestly So Sorry”

Three days after her exit, Ortega issued a video and written statement on Instagram. She confirmed she has been back in the US for two days and felt ready to “speak about this without being highly emotional, because I’m not the victim in this situation.”

“I want to first start by addressing, not just anyone that I have hurt or deeply offended, but most importantly, the entire Asian community,” Ortega said. “I am deeply, truly, honestly, so sorry. I had no idea that the word held as much pain, as much harm, and came with the history that it did, or I never would have used it. I had no ill intention when I was using it. But that’s absolutely no excuse, because intent doesn’t excuse ignorance.”

Ortega explained that after using the slur in a public Instagram Story in 2024, a follower corrected her about the derogatory nature of the term.

“In that moment, I was embarrassed,” she continued. “I, of course, immediately deleted the post. I was apologetic, and I educated not only myself on the true meaning and history of the word, but also anyone around me who was accidentally holding space for this slur.”

“I Think This Deserved Punishment”

Ortega said she agreed with the network’s decision to remove her from the villa.

“I think that this is something that deserved punishment, and the punishment has absolutely been received,” she stated.

She admitted that “the backlash has obviously been very hard to deal with,” but she understood “where the hate is coming from.” She also revealed she has received death threats and shared that it has been “extremely, extremely difficult” to watch people approach her family and loved ones aggressively, noting that her family had Immigration and Customs Enforcement called on them, leaving them feeling unsafe in their own home.

“If you want to know that you are heard and that I’m sorry and that I will move differently, I promise you that’s what will happen,” Ortega added.

“I know that no apology could ever be enough for the harm that I’ve caused and the offense that’s taken place. I know that moving forward, my actions and how I decide to live my life from here on out is going to speak louder than any apology ever could. But I do need it to be known that I am sorry, and I did mean no harm.”

Her Family’s Plea for Compassion

Following Ortega’s exit, her family posted a statement on her Instagram Stories describing it as “one of the most painful weeks of our lives.”

“We’re not here to justify or ignore what’s surfaced,” they wrote. “We understand why people are upset, and we know accountability matters. But what’s happening online right now has gone far beyond that.

“The threats. The cruel messages. The attacks on her family, her friends, even her supporters, it’s heartbreaking. It’s uncalled for. And no one deserves that kind of hate, no matter what mistake they’ve made.”

The family added that while Ortega was no longer in the villa, she had not yet had the chance to process the backlash.

“While she’ll always be our little girl, she’s also a woman, one who will take responsibility in her own time and her own voice. Until then, we’re simply asking for compassion. For patience. For basic human decency. Not just for her, but for everyone caught in the middle of this.”

Belle-A Walker: “Asian Hate Is Oftentimes Overlooked”

Fellow Love Island USA contestant Belle-A Walker, who was dumped from the villa after Ortega’s arrival, praised the producers for taking a stand against racism, sharing her thoughts on Instagram Stories.

“When I first saw what my fellow Islander said on their social media pages, I was incredibly heartbroken," Walker wrote. "But I wanted to wait until they left the villa and were able to address the situation, genuinely apologize, and commit to learning from the experience before deciding how our relationship would look moving forward.”

She added: “As screenshots continued to surface, it became clear that I could no longer support this person, and made the decision to unfollow them a couple of days ago.”

Walker highlighted how “Asian hate is oftentimes overlooked and dismissed,” sharing that as a first-generation American, she has witnessed how real and hurtful these comments can be.

“I do not condone bigotry or racism of any kind. But I also don’t condone hate either. Please think twice before leaving unkind comments to or about this person. I love you all so much," she added.

What Happens Next

Love Island USA continues to air on Peacock at 9:00PM ET daily except Wednesdays.

Ortega’s departure left fellow contestant Nic Vansteenberghe single and stunned the villa.

Ortega has pledged to learn, change, and allow her future actions to demonstrate growth. Her situation joins a wider conversation around racism, accountability, and anti-Asian hate in reality TV as the series continues its Season 7 run.

Featured image credit: Noam Galai / Getty

Rodrigo Alvez, the reality star better known by his alter-ego, the Human Ken Doll, has left the Celebrity Big Brother house after just over a week of the show starting. The 35-year-old departed from the house on Saturday morning after being given a "final warning" for using racist language - but there is some confusion about what exactly urged him to leave.

Some sources are saying that he was forced out of the show because of a further "incident", with the official Big Brother Twitter account stating this as the case - but Alvez himself is claiming that he left voluntarily.

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In an interview with The Sun, the renowned plastic surgery addict said that he left of his own accord because he missed not being able to use his mobile phone.

"The experience in the house was amazing but enough for me," he said.

"I was not coping very well to be without my mobile phone and not being in contact with my family and friends. After Natalie left, I felt very upset because she was the life and soul in the house and got very much misunderstood.

"All I wanted out of the show was to have fun and to show to the UK that I'm a nice and fun person.

"I’m no longer interested in the show or anything to do with it. Simply because it wasn’t for me."

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Despite this excuse, though, many believe that Alvez's premature departure probably had something to do with his inappropriate and offensive behaviour. After all, the reality star was already given a warning on August 18th after using the n-word twice in conversation with some of his fellow housemates.

Here is a clip of the incident in question:

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This, understandably, riled up a lot of people, with many of the show's viewers arguing that Alvez should have been immediately evicted at the first sign of racist behaviour.

"He should have been out straight away," said one Twitter user. "On ‘normal’ BB a girl used the word once and was evicted on the spot. I don’t see how these people are treated differently."

"That was very highly offensive for me as a black man. He should have been removed from the house straight away. That sort of speech should not be tolerated at all," added another.

One fan also pointed out that the way Alvez said the word implies that he uses it often: "Rodrigo saying the N-word so casually suggests that's not the first time he's said it/doesn't see the issue in saying it."

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Alvez had already issued an excuse for his actions, saying that he was "very drunk" and that he had misspoken due to his excitement at being on the show. However, the producers were clear on their standpoint that any sort of racist language or behaviour would not be tolerated or excused, and that any further incidents would result in Alvez being removed from the house.

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Right now, the official stance from Celebrity Big Brother is that Alvez was forcibly removed from the house, but the Human Ken Doll himself is still in denial of this.

Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson has addressed criticism over the age gap between herself and her boyfriend Dralin Carswell.

The 16-year-old Toddlers and Tiaras alum sat down with ET's Rachel Smith this week and told her that she and 21-year-old Dralin have been targeted based on two things: "our age gap" and "because he's Black and I’m white."

Sat with Alana during the interview was her sister, Lauryn "Pumpkin" Shannon. The pair spoke from their home in Georgia about a range of topics including family, dating and reality TV.

The teen also discussed  her relationship with Dralin, whom she's now been seeing for a year and seven months.

"In our relationship, the two most things that everybody is always talking about is our age gap and definitely because he's Black and I’m white and we're an interracial couple," Alana said.

The reality star went on to say that the opinions of those online are irrelevant to her as she and her boyfriend are in a happy relationship and their family is supportive.

"I don’t care because, like, at the end of the day, my sister approves, his mom approves, and we're happy, so what fans got to say or what haters got to say I don’t really care," Alana continued.

Lauryn, 22, voiced her own support for her younger sister's relationship with Dralin. She said that at nearly 17 years old, she believes Alana is mature enough to date a man in his early twenties.

“She’s not getting married, she’s not having a kid, she’s doing very good in school,” Lauryn said, adding that in spite of the age gap, Alana and Dralin are “on the same wavelength.”

Alana then spoke in detail about what she likes about her relationship with Dralin.

"I like how it’s never quiet when we're around each other, we're always talking about something. It’s never like an awkward moment, silence or none of that. We're always just talking about something," Alana shared.

Lauryn was this year granted sole custody of Alana away from their 42-year-old mother, Mama June Shannon, People reports.

The judge wrote that Lauryn "has had guardianship of the minor child" since April 29, 2019. "It is in the best interest of the child that the plaintiff is awarded sole custody," they wrote.

The mother will only be allowed to contact the Here Comes Honey Boo Boo star by phone every day, and will have to pay her guardian $800 per month in child support until Alana turns 18.

Lauryn first became Alana's temporary guardian in August 2019 after their mom was arrested on drug possession charges that year with her then-boyfriend Geno Doak.

The older sister was permitted by her father, Mike "Sugar Bear" Thompson, to seek guardianship over her younger sister.

Now, Lauryn is the reality TV star's sole decision-making authority until she reaches legal age, and she has the right to make the day-to-day care decisions for her.

Additionally, Lauryn will have the choice to permit visitation rights between June and Alana. The judge also ruled that both parties have agreed to the arrangement set in the document.

Featured image credit: Sam Aronov / Alamy

An influencer has broken down in tears after she responded to the backlash she faced online for owning a house at 21 years old.

Katylee Bailey - from Yorkshire, United Kingdom - recently shared a video celebrating after she bought a house outright at her young age.

In the footage, which was captioned: "Biggest achievement of my life. Here's to my new chapter," Bailey held a champagne bottle with confetti inside which she popped before cheering.

She also lip-synched to Kanye West's famous speech at the Grammy Awards, when he said: "Everybody wants to know what I would do if I didn't win, I guess we'll never know."

While many people hailed the young woman for her achievement, not everyone was pleased as some users pointed out that they work many hours and still cannot afford to be a homeowner.

One person wrote: "Lucky you here I am paying 2 grand in rent every month because I am not eligible for a mortgage despite working 40 hours a week."

Another user said: "There’s me working my arse off every week fixing cars and could just act stupid in front of a camera to get a mortgage."

A third user commented: "So sad the people that work the least get this, and people putting their life on the line can barely afford heating."

A fourth person added: "There’s no way working on TikTok would buy a minimum of £100k house straight out! Mortgage free? How?!"

Following the posting of the first video, Bailey shared a second clip where she tearfully addressed the criticism she received from commenters.

"I just wanted to come on here to say that I'm sorry to anyone who feels like I'm bragging about the house thing," she said, with tears in her eyes. "Yes, the system is absolutely f***ed, I will never get my head around the fact that I've become so lucky."

"But believe or not, as much as some of you guys don't wanna understand this, I do actually work, and let me tell you something, social media is so mentally draining," she continued.

"I know there are many people out there who work their a***s off. I genuinely did just fall lucky with social media. And yes my family has given me an amazing life."

"But I didn't get brought up with money, so to be able to achieve such a big thing at 21 years old, I'm just so grateful," she stated. "It's not me bragging, it's me being so proud of myself. I think if anyone else had the opportunity, they'd do it."

The emotional footage amassed 3.1 million views, with many people taking to the comments section to send their support to the influencer.

One user said: "You should never apologize for hitting such an achievement at such a young age and being PROUD of it!! You should be proud!!"

Another added: "Katylee, do not ever apologize! You should be proud of yourself! Shout it from the rooftops. You can’t please everyone and like you say anyone else."

According to Telegraph and Argus, Bailey first started her TikTok page "as a bit of fun" but now earns around £1,000 per video she posts. She dropped out of university to pursue social media as her full-time content creator.

Featured image credit: Alexander Korzh / Alamy