Love Island USA’s Leah Kateb Addresses Huda Mustafa Feud Rumors

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This is Love Island, not Hate Island.

Leah Kateb, a cast member from season six of the Peacock reality show, refuted rumors suggesting a disagreement between her and season seven’s contestant, Huda Mustafa.

Initially, as a devoted admirer, I began to ponder if there were underlying tensions when Leah seemed to stop following Huda on Instagram following the conclusion of season six. The whispers grew louder after Leah posted a TikTok video where she expressed her thoughts to Andy Cohen during her recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live!, suggesting that it’s high time for society to “reintroduce shame” amid the influx of unfavorable comments the season seven cast encountered on social media. Some viewers believed this statement might have been subtly aimed at Huda.

In response to a comment advising her to be cautious due to potential backlash from Huda’s followers about a particular video, Leah ultimately clarified the situation.

She replied on the 20th of July, “Whoa, you’d think I was a part of Season 7 too! But let me tell you, back off! I have no involvement or knowledge about it. I don’t even watch Love Island, and I certainly don’t follow it. Honestly, I’m completely baffled.

Leah went on to say, ‘I bear no grudges.’ She’s genuinely proud of everyone who’s been on Love Island because it requires a lot of courage to expose oneself like that.

The Beyond The Villa star ended her comment by saying, “I wish them all well truly.”

However, Leah didn’t stop responding. In response to another user’s claim that she was contributing to the cyberbullying of a woman who is already facing severe criticism (specifically Huda), the 25-year-old firmly maintained that there was no animosity involved.

To be honest, the topic of our conversation seems to be Love Island. However, I haven’t discussed this show at all. I’m not watching it and I don’t understand why you keep trying to draw me into it. Could you please stop?

She expressed, “To be honest, I don’t understand the topics you’re discussing, but I’ve made it clear that I want everyone to have a fantastic time and conserve their energy. Please give me some space.

There’s not just one story about Huda, mother of 4-year-old Arleigh with ex Noah Sheline, that needs to be debunked. Most recently, Huda has refuted allegations made by fans suggesting they contacted Child Protective Services during her time filming Love Island in Fiji.

During her interview with Alex Cooper on Call Her Daddy, Huda made it clear that her daughter’s father was well-informed about her actions. He agreed, even signing consent forms, and they both have come to terms with the situation. Simply appearing on a show doesn’t make Huda a bad person, she pointed out. Many mothers who travel for work are away from their children, yet this doesn’t make them poor parents. Similarly, doing something for oneself in no way makes a mother neglectful.

The 24-year-old went on to demonstrate how close her bond is with her daughter.

Huda made it clear that she’s always supportive of her friend. She listens to her talk about guys she’s interested in, they laugh and share moments, and they even get ready for the day side by side, sometimes using the same sink, even though Huda has a double one.

She called herself his cheerleader, explaining, “When someone speaks unkindly to me, she steps in and says, ‘Speak respectfully to my friend.’

Keep reading for more about Love Island USA…

Every day, excess footage from over 85 concealed cameras needs to be compiled into a one-hour program.

However, they operate by swiftly transforming Monday’s footage into the next day’s episode, and this pattern continues.

Fortunately, Fiji, the location for the initial season and where production has been since season five, is 16 hours ahead of the East Coast. This time difference means that a late-night wrap-up translates to the U.S. being the previous day’s morning, providing the team with valuable additional hours to ensure the latest episode is perfected.

In an interview with The Wrap in 2024, executive producer Claudine Parrish explained that the islanders wake up to find scenes being created in real-time by the control room, based on the events happening. These scenes are then labeled, for instance, ‘Boys prepare breakfast for the girls.’ Remarkably, just 15 minutes after an event occurs, it’s already edited and being worked on to turn it into a scene.

Working on this project requires collaboration: Parrish mentioned that they have approximately 30 editors, 20 producers, and a group brainstorming about the significant scenes and discussions to integrate into a cohesive tale.

At times, Parrish conceded, not everything intriguing leads to something substantial. As she put it, “We’re not always correct in our assessments. We’re constantly weighing whether something is significant or will have changed by the next day.

It’s clear that breakfast plays a crucial role on this program, as the gentlemen responsible for cooking and brewing coffee for the ladies on “Love Island USA” has turned this daily routine into a global curiosity.

But what does everyone eat for lunch and dinner, you ask?

In this program, while the quality of the food itself may not be the main highlight (except for perhaps burnt pancakes or someone’s initial attempt at an omelette), there’s always some food around when needed.

Dani Dyer, the winner of Love Island UK season four, shared with HELLO! in 2021 that there were no menus on set. Instead, it was self-catering, which meant that contestants prepared their own meals. For breakfast, they could find items like eggs, bacon, and toast to cook themselves.

In season eight, Luca Bish admitted he didn’t know who prepared the meals, confessing on a TikTok post in July 2023 that a “mystery chef” cooked the dishes off-site and then brought them to the villa.

Instead of enjoying the food, Bish often expressed that for both his lunch and dinner, he usually had hummus and crisps.

Over time, various participants have shared that they dine apart as males and females, with exceptions only during date occasions.

Olivia Attwood from Love Island UK season three explained to The Sun in 2022 that the living situation resembles a boarding school. During meals, it’s similar to being reminded to clean one’s room, knowing when laundry day is, and planning breakfasts ahead – all tasks contributing to a well-organized household.

And much like being on a jury, they’re not allowed to discuss the case among themselves.

In 2024, I shared my thoughts with Closer magazine as a fervent admirer, stating, “The eighth season was intense! You see, while savoring each bite, I yearned to discuss the unfolding events, but alas, it interfered with the recording process.

It’s possible you could think that overindulging in alcohol while being flirtatious would not be met with disapproval, but the rule is that each contestant can have just one drink each night, and these drinks can only be beer, wine, or champagne.

Phoebe Siegel from the fourth season of Love Island USA expressed on TikTok in June 2024 that she wouldn’t find it satisfactory if given a choice between a glass of red or white wine at dinner, as she would consider the serving size to be small.

During events that seem like an open bar, for instance, while celebrating a Casa Amor challenge victory, Siegel stated that the drinks were “significantly diluted.

Iain Stirling juggles two roles, serving as the narrator for both ‘Love Island UK’ and ‘Love Island USA’. While shooting, he has to adhere strictly to a busy schedule.

At 12 in the afternoon (UK time), as shared with TODAY in 2024, the Scottish comedian explained that he’d connect to Love Island UK. By then, the show was almost over, and we would start writing for about two or three hours, wrapping up around 4 or 4:30 PM. After taking care of my child’s dinner, bath time, and bedtime, I wished it could be a more rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, but that was how my days went. Then, I would grab some food before logging onto Love Island USA at half past 8, which is quite early in Fiji time.

At home, Stirling watches a preliminary edit of the project via Zoom, as Parrish clarified to The Wrap. He and the writers are merely noting amusing elements within the scene or reminders of past story events for recording, which takes place using a microphone at his personal residence.

The story he told was incorporated into the episode prior to it being submitted to Peacock’s legal and standards department for review, which occasionally makes suggestions for last-minute adjustments.

Stirling mentioned that we might wrap up between 12 or 1 in the night, and he’d carry on until nearly 3 – a time still extending the U.S. broadcast, as he shared with TODAY. If ideal circumstances allowed, he’d keep going till 5 or 6 in the morning, but that would essentially mean no sleep for him.

Evidence showing the enduring nature of the franchise: In 2020, Stirling tied the knot with the ex-host of Love Island UK, Laura Whitmore, and in March 2021, they were blessed with a child.

The music on “Love Island USA” – from Janelle Monae’s “Make Me Feel” to the theme song “From Fiji With Love” by The Daniel Pemberton TV Orchestra and all the catchy tunes in between – really sets the show’s mood and creates a distinct atmosphere.

In a June 2025 interview with Rolling Stone, Love Island USA executive producer James Barker expressed his excitement upon watching Love Island UK for the first time. He said, “Wow, this is a whole new level of reality storytelling! It’s so powerful when a pop song you love becomes part of the narrative in a show you’re watching on TV. This is something I believe more shows should aim to achieve.” Inspired, he immediately thought, “This is fantastic! And secondly, how can I get involved with Love Island?

Instead of choosing songs spontaneously to match specific situations, a music clearance company prepares well in advance by acquiring the necessary licenses for tracks from artists such as Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, and Olivia Rodrigo months ahead, ensuring they’re legally available when required.

We constantly prepare a large number of songs, ranging from hundreds to thousands, as we never know how the narrative will unfold. So, we might think, ‘This tune could be ideal for someone’s breakup moment, or this one would make a perfect soundtrack for a first kiss when that happens.’

Interestingly, the inhabitants of the villa are unable to enjoy music, primarily due to complications related to copyright issues, and secondly, since background noise could interfere with the recording capabilities of the concealed cameras and microphones.

In some instances, the rules about hearing songs may not apply, for example, when participating in specific tasks like contests, slow-motion dance events, or even when getting into a taxi for a date and the driver is already playing tunes.

To make sure the women always look their best on camera, the production team offers makeup and skincare products within the house. They’re welcome to bring their own as well, but any identifiable brand names on their personal items will be concealed during post-production.

In complex grooming situations, there are experts to help out. For instance, Lucie Dolan, a contestant from Love Island UK season five, mentioned that every two or three weeks, she would get her nails, hair, and other similar tasks done. She explained that during the long nights in the villa, it’s necessary to have a day of rest and relaxation because the length of the nights is not always apparent to others.

On their days away from work when there’s no performance scheduled, as Whitmore shared with OK! magazine, they often get their eyelash extensions and acrylic nail treatments refreshed.

In earlier times, inhabitants had to travel to other places, yet currently, the production of the show cannot feature contestants in their natural environments during filming.

It seems that in the initial season, they stepped out of the villa to get their hair styled at a salon. However, given the scale of the show now, this isn’t possible anymore, so instead, someone comes to them to touch up their roots. (Whitmore’s statement)

Producers say they’re perfectly content to ride the waves of romance.

In an interview with The Wrap in 2024, Love Island USA executive producer Ben Thursby-Palmer explained their approach to the show’s events as they unfold. If the couples are content, there’s no reason for recoupling. On the other hand, if everyone is sleeping separately throughout the villa, we have to shake things up and rearrange the couples again.

According to Samie Elishi from Love Island UK’s ninth season, who shared his thoughts in a YouTube video dated April 2023, the show wasn’t scripted in any way. However, he added that if producers didn’t prompt us to chat with our couples, argue with someone, or engage in similar interactions, there would be no show at all. While they do encourage certain conversations, the content of those discussions is solely the participants’ decision.

Communication devices like phones are provided to the island residents, allowing them to make calls and send messages, take pictures, and receive notifications about future events that can be verbally announced.

Liana Isadora Van Riel, from Love Island UK season two, shared with The Sun in 2019 that the contestants are provided with simple phones primarily for the purpose of sending texts to each other. However, she noted that these phones aren’t actually used much by the participants; instead, they serve more as a prop for the ‘I’ve got a text’ moments.

If you haven’t already known, as Love Island USA’s Siegel stated on TikTok, “There’s no Googling, no watching television, no using social media, and no texting anyone outside the show.

Following in the footsteps of peacekeepers in reality TV competitions, Love Island USA host Ariana Madix must conceal her true feelings as she watches the events unfold.

Sometimes I’m tempted to join the action, she admitted to The Wrap in 2024. Yet, as a host, I need to maintain some neutrality, especially when they’re around.

Meanwhile, during season six, Andrea Carmona got voted off, and Rob Rausch spontaneously declared he’d depart with her. However, Madix kindly suggested he rethink his decision, and in the end, he chose to stay.

In Madix’s words, “I believe it’s not wise to make major decisions during intense emotional periods. Moreover, there was a side of me that wanted to challenge him since I wasn’t convinced he truly intended to depart.

The islanders are not surrounded by any cameramen, Madix pointed out. Instead, cameras are strategically placed all around the villa, with movable cameramen hidden behind walls using sliders. While the islanders don’t notice these cameramen, there aren’t any parts of the house that are truly private, aside from areas like the bathroom or shower. So, even if they think they’re having a secret discussion in a secluded spot, it’s actually not so.

A secluded area without cameras: The kitchen pantry where snacks are kept, as stated by Love Island UK’s Elishi. She mentioned in her April 2023 video that only one person can be there at once since “there were incidents involving a couple in the pantry previously.

Various participants on Love Island UK have mentioned that branded condoms for the show are strategically placed around the villa, and they can ask for more whenever needed.

Before the bombshells arrive with the potential to change the current situation, they can first watch the show as a way to catch up on the events that have transpired so far.

On her podcast, “Chloe vs. The World,” Chloe Burrows, the surprise addition to Love Island UK, mentioned in an April 2023 episode that she doesn’t watch episodes that air before she joins the show, and then she shares her top three favorite islanders among those already there.

While the cameras never stop filming, the contestants do get one day off a week to just hang out.

This implies that the same rule as mealtime applies here – no talking about gossip or settling disagreements during this time; instead, such issues should be addressed the following day. Additionally, since they don’t have scheduled dates on their off-days, women and men are not allowed to sleep in the same bed at night.

Kem Cetinay, a contestant from the third season of Love Island UK, shared in 2017 during an interview with This Morning that when microphones are removed, conversations about anything related to the show are off-limits. He explained that they can still chat among themselves, but they need to be cautious about what they discuss since the producers want to preserve the content for viewers at home to enjoy on video. Essentially, it’s a break from the intense games, dates, and decisions about who they like and don’t like in the show.

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2025-07-21 20:48