Intro for June 24, 2025

Dear Gossips,   

After so many seasons, and franchises around the world, those of us who watch Love Island understand the impact of Casa Amor. Midway through their time in the villa, the islanders are separated, half of them sent away to meet new bombshells at Casa as the other half stays to welcome other bombshells at home.

Casa Amor is meant to test the couples and their connections. And the four or five days that they spend there result in some of the best drama of the season – especially when the producers share videos with those who are either left behind or, are at Casa, of what’s happening with their partners in the villa and vice versa. 

This year, though, on Love Island USA, they’ve dropped in a whole new twist. 

Maybe it’s because none of the relationships are all that strong, because usually at this point there are at least one or two who are locked in, but I don’t love it. I don’t love it because it feels like they’re forcing the situation in part because of influencers. At this point, where these kinds of shows are concerned, almost everyone who participates is either an aspiring influencer or already an established one. Given the runaway popularity of last season, everyone in their 20s, it seems, wanted to be cast on Love Island USA. Even those who already have a robust following. Like Vanna Einerson who has almost 600K on TikTok. 

@vannaeinerson

VANNA HAS OFFICIALLY ENTERED THE CHAT! Tune in tonight on @Love Island USA to watch our girl Vanna bombshell harder than ever💣😍 We love you so much!!! #loveislandusa #casaamor #vannaloveisland #loveislandseason7 #teamvanna

♬ original sound - The hoppers

In her case, then, the producers obviously didn’t think she was right as an OG islander or an individual bombshell, and sent her in during Casa Amor week instead… but also probably didn’t want to chance it that she’d exit too early – is that why they’re bringing everyone back to the villa when Casa is over? This is my theory, and if my theory is right, then it kinda f-cks with the flow of Love Island, if you’re trying to shoehorn more people than you need into the situation just because of followers. 

Especially when there are already compelling storylines to follow. Like Amaya Papaya, who has won over the hearts of viewers despite a rough start. I was put off by her during her first week, but she is so endearing now, and so vulnerable, and Ace gaslit her so badly, it’s been heartbreaking to watch how she’s increasingly doubting herself. The way she approaches every new connection now by asking them about their boundaries, worried that her personal speech patterns (she harmlessly calls everyone “babe”, which Ace turned into a major character flaw because he’s a f-ck) might offend them. Like, I am so much more invested in rooting for Amaya’s resilience and (hopefully) comeback than I am in whoever comes in with the most TikTok followers. Amaya is giving character development – which is good television! 

It’s frustrating, then, that the producers don’t seem to value this, and are making Casa Amor unnecessarily and deliberately dramatic. Not enough, of course, to stop me from watching. But, like, I’m not rushing to get home tonight to find out what’s happening. And that’s not a great sign because by the time Casa comes around, usually, it’s the only appointment on the calendar. That said, what might keep me going is the prospect of the new boys coming in to step on Ace and shut him down. We are over his manipulation and if they could just read some tweets so he could finally be made aware that America is not f-cking with him, it might just save the season. 

Yours in gossip, 

Lainey