What Love Island USA’s Iris and Pepe Want to Say to TJ and Hannah

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No, Iris Kendall and Pepe Garcia-Gonzalez aren’t running back to their former partners.

On the reality TV show Love Island USA, the stars formed meaningful bonds with TJ Palma and Hannah Fields prior to their eliminations. This ultimately led Pepe and Iris to pair up on the Peacock dating series. Even though Pepe and Iris ended up in fourth place during the season seven finale on July 13, viewers were curious if they might rekindle relationships with their previous partners after leaving Fiji.

It seems that Iris shared with TopMob News that there is a friendly relationship among the parties involved.

Furthermore, on July 14 in Los Angeles, she was spotted embracing TJ in a heartwarming hug. The spray tan artist, who has been maintaining her relationship with Pepe since the show ended, shed light on the true nature of their encounter during their get-together.

Iris, aged 25, disclosed that she had a heartfelt talk with TJ where she expressed her emotions and opinions. She added, “The feeling among us is mutual affection. There’s no animosity present. We’ll continue to maintain our friendship.

And Pepe, 27, feels similarly about his former flame Hannah. 

He assured TopMob that both of them have been considerate towards everyone and their emotions, promising to maintain this approach. He expressed gratitude for the time he spent with Hannah, noting that it seemed longer than just a few days, but emphasized the importance of cherishing and moving forward from the experience. Lastly, he was glad to have had the opportunity to meet Iris.

Still, Pepe wants to talk with Hannah to clear the air.

He expressed that it seemed unusual to claim falling in love within only three days, but he wanted to clarify his feelings by saying, “I genuinely felt for you, and I was deeply saddened when you departed. I apologize if things didn’t work out as we had hoped.

In the end, the basketball player wants their friendship with Iris to remain strong, no matter the circumstances, as he navigates his relationship with her.

I find myself in a unique position this season on Love Island, as not many others have shared the same journey. It would truly be a pity to let our friendships crumble merely because we’ve been through an extraordinary, collective adventure together.

In my commitment to maintaining a harmonious relationship with Hannah, I can’t stress enough how fantastic she is – truly a barrel of laughs! Let me make this clear: there’s absolutely no animosity or tension between us.

Keep reading for more details about the show.

At the close of each day, I’m left with an abundance of captivating footage from the 85 discreet cameras I’ve carefully positioned. My challenge is to meticulously craft this raw material into a gripping hour-long episode that will keep my fellow enthusiasts enthralled.

However, editors quickly convert Monday’s footage into Tuesday’s episode, and this is just part of their usual fast-paced workflow.

Fortunately, Fiji, which has been the location for the show since season five and where its first season was set, is 16 hours ahead of East Coast time. This means that a late-night finish actually translates to the next day’s morning in the U.S., providing the team with valuable additional hours to perfect the new episode.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d put it this way: “In the morning, just like the island residents, we gather insights from real-life events. Our team in the control room will create scenes based on these occurrences, such as ‘Morning Meal Preparation.’ Amazingly, within 15 minutes of the event happening, it’s seamlessly integrated into our production edits. Our editor swiftly transforms this raw moment into a captivating scene for you.

A project like this requires collective effort: Parrish noted that approximately 30 editors and 20 producers are involved, while the story team decides which key events and dialogues should be combined to create a cohesive tale.

At times, Parrish acknowledged, what appears intriguing may not necessarily lead anywhere. “Sometimes we don’t hit the mark,” she explained. “We’re constantly evaluating whether something is significant or if it will be obsolete the next day.

It’s clear that breakfast plays a significant role on this program, as the gentlemen responsible for cooking and brewing coffee for the women on Love Island USA have sparked global interest in the subject.

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

In this program, while the quality of the food itself might not be the main focus (except for burnt pancakes or that first-time omelette), it’s always there when needed.

In 2021, Dani Dyer from Love Island UK season four shared with HELLO! that there were no menus; instead, it was self-catered. So, for breakfast, you could prepare items like eggs, bacon, and toast yourself.

In a TikTok video posted in July 2023, contestant Luca Bish from season eight expressed his surprise about who was doing the cooking, describing it as a “mystery chef” working somewhere off-site, with the meals being delivered to the villa.

Bish found the food unappealing most of the time, as he often stated that for both lunch and dinner, his meals usually consisted of hummus and crisps.

Throughout various competitions, it’s been disclosed that males and females typically dine apart, with the exception of during shared dates.

As an ardent admirer, I can tell you from my personal experience during Love Island UK season three, it felt like dining with the producers was akin to being in a boarding school. The evenings when we dined together were reminiscent of them assigning chores, such as telling us to tidy our rooms or informing us that laundry day was approaching, along with asking about our breakfast preferences for the next day – all small but crucial tasks that ensured the smooth operation of the household.

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

Samuel Agbiji, a season eight contestant, expressed in an interview with Closer in 2024 that it was challenging because while eating, one naturally wants to discuss ongoing matters, but cannot do so as it disrupts the filming process.

It’s possible you could think that having too many drinks for flirtatious purposes is at least tolerated, if not actively supported. However, on this reality show, each participant is allowed just one alcoholic beverage per evening, and the options are limited to beer, wine, or sparkling wine.

In response to being offered a choice between a glass of red or white wine during dinner, Phoebe Siegel from the fourth season of “Love Island USA” stated on TikTok in June 2024 that it was not a particularly large serving.

As a devoted fan, I can attest that during celebratory moments like a Casa Amor challenge victory party, it seems as though there’s an open bar. However, in such instances, as revealed by Siegel, the drinks are noticeably diluted, making them less potent than one would expect.

Iain Stirling juggles two roles, serving as the narrator for both “Love Island UK” and “Love Island USA,” all while maintaining a strict production timetable during filming.

Around noon U.K. time, as the Scottish comedian explained to TODAY in 2024, I’d tune into Love Island UK. By then, the show was almost over. We would write for a couple of hours after that, wrapping up around 4 or 4:30. Then it was time for my child’s dinner, bath, and bedtime – not exactly rock ‘n’ roll, but that was my routine. Afterward, I’d grab some food and catch Love Island USA at half past 8, which is quite early considering it’s still evening in Fiji.

At home, Stirling watches a preliminary version of the film on Zoom, as Parrish clarified to The Wrap. He and the writers are merely noting amusing elements within the scene or reminders of the narrative’s progression, which they record from their homes using their microphones.

The story he told was incorporated into the episode prior to its submission to Peacock’s legal and standards department, who occasionally make late adjustments based on their feedback.

Stirling mentioned to TODAY that we might wrap up around 12 or 1 am. Afterward, I’d keep working until nearly 3 am, although that’s not quite the end of the show for the U.S. In an ideal scenario, I’d be working until 5 or 6 in the morning, but that would essentially mean I never sleep.

Demonstration of enduring connection within the franchise: Stirling tied the knot with ex-host of Love Island UK , Laura Whitmore, in 2020, and they became parents to a little girl in March 2021.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve found myself deeply immersed in the rhythmic journey that is “Love Island USA.” From the very first notes of Janelle Monae’s “Make Me Feel” to the official theme tune, “From Fiji With Love” by The Daniel Pemberton TV Orchestra, and every catchy pop hit in between, this show’s music has become an integral part of its unique vibe. It’s a sonic journey that perfectly encapsulates the energy, emotions, and excitement of the island.

In a June 2025 interview with Rolling Stone, executive producer James Barker expressed his excitement upon watching Love Island UK for the first time. He said, “Wow, it’s a significant leap in reality television and storytelling when you have a personal bond with a popular song and see it skillfully integrated into a TV show’s narrative.” Inspired by this unique approach, he thought, “Firstly, this is fantastic and more shows should emulate this format. Secondly, I need to work on Love Island!

Instead of hastily choosing songs to match the situation, a music clearance company prepares well in advance, securing licenses for tracks from artists such as Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, and Olivia Rodrigo, long before they are required.

We constantly prepare a large number of songs – sometimes even several hundred – as we can’t predict the plot’s progression. So, it’s like we say, ‘This tune might be ideal for when someone eventually ends a relationship, or this one could be perfectly suited for that first kiss moment once it happens.’

Surprisingly, the inhabitants of the villa are unable to enjoy music, primarily due to the complications arising from music rights clearance. Additionally, playing music might interfere with the hidden recording equipment’s ability to capture conversations clearly.

In some situations, real-time songs don’t follow the usual rules, like during specific competitions, a leisurely slow-motion dance, or when hopping into a taxi for a date and the driver is playing tunes.

In order to make the women always appear well-groomed on camera, the production team offers makeup and skincare products within the premises. They are welcome to bring their own products as well, but any identifiable brand names on them will be concealed during post-processing.

Instead of handling intricate grooming tasks themselves, they often turn to professionals for assistance. As Love Island UK season five alum Lucie Dolan explained to Capital FM in 2021, “Every two or three weeks we’d get our nails, hair, etc., done.” Given the lengthy nights on the show and the fact that their duration isn’t always apparent to others, they found it necessary to have downtime and relax.

In their free Saturdays, when there’s no performance, as Whitmore shared with OK!, they usually get their eyelashes and acrylic nails reapplied.

Once upon time, inhabitants had to travel to other places, however, currently, the production of the show is unable to let competitors be out in nature while shooting.

According to Whitmore, it seemed that in the initial season, they exited the villa for a salon appointment to get their hair styled. However, due to the magnitude of the show nowadays, this isn’t possible, so instead, someone comes to them to touch up their roots at the villa.

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

In a conversation with The Wrap in 2024, Love Island USA’s executive producer, Ben Thursby-Palmer, said that they follow the ongoing events in the villa as they happen. If the couples are content and happy, there is no need for recoupling. Conversely, if everyone is sleeping in separate beds scattered throughout the villa, it’s necessary to shake things up and bring them back together again.

In a YouTube video posted in April 2023, Samie Elishi from Love Island UK’s ninth season stated that the show wasn’t scripted at all. However, he added that producers would prompt us to speak with our couples or someone we were having an argument with, which is essential for the continuation of the show. He clarified that while they encourage specific conversations, the content of these interactions is entirely up to each participant.

Communication devices (phones) are provided to the inhabitants for making calls and sending messages, taking pictures, and receiving notifications about future events which can be verbally announced.

Liana Isadora Van Riel, from Love Island UK’s second season, shared with The Sun in 2019 that the contestants receive simple phones for texting each other. However, she noted these phones are primarily used for the ‘text-arrival’ scenes rather than actual communication among the participants.

In other words, as Love Island USA’s Siegel pointed out on TikTok, “There’s no internet, no television, no social media access, and no texting anyone beyond the show.

In keeping with the long-standing custom of impartial moderators in reality competition shows, Ariana Madix, the host of Love Island USA, must feign indifference towards the events that transpire under her supervision.

In her conversation with The Wrap in 2024, she expressed that it can be challenging for her because there are moments when she feels the urge to participate, but as a host, she needs to maintain some neutrality, especially when they’re around.

As a die-hard fan, I couldn’t help but chime in when Andrea Carmona was booted off during season six, and Rob Rausch instinctively declared he’d depart with her too. However, Madix tactfully suggested he rethink his decision, and luckily for us all, he chose to stay.

In such an impassioned state, I can’t help but question if making a significant decision in the heat of the moment is truly wise. To be honest, there was a part of me that yearned to test his resolve, for I wasn’t entirely convinced he meant to depart.

Madix, residing in a nearby hotel with a vantage point of the villa during filming, observed that no cameramen are physically present near the islanders. However, cameras are strategically positioned throughout the entire villa. There are also walls equipped with sliding mechanisms, behind which hidden cameramen can move. Despite this, the islanders rarely notice the cameramen, and there are few blind spots in the house, so it may seem like you’re having a private conversation somewhere, but in reality, you’re not.

Another location devoid of cameras: The kitchen pantry, as mentioned by Love Island UK’s Elishi, which she referred to in her April 2023 video as a place where only one individual can enter at a given time due to certain incidents that occurred between a couple within the pantry previously.

Several participants from the reality TV show “Love Island UK” have mentioned that branded condoms for the series are available throughout the villa, and they can be restocked whenever needed.

Before the crucial moments arrive that might change the current situation, they can first view the performance to refresh their memory about the events that have occurred so far.

Chloe Burrows, a surprise contestant on “Love Island UK,” revealed during an episode of her podcast “Chloe vs. The World” in April 2023, she doesn’t watch episodes that air before she enters the villa. Instead, she waits to see all the islanders and then shares her top three favorites among those already in the villa.

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

This implies that during off-days, the rule of avoiding conversations about gossip or resolving conflicts must be observed, postponing such discussions till the following day. Additionally, since there are no assigned sleeping arrangements for off-days, men and women cannot sleep together in the same bed on those nights.

Essentially, Kem Cetinay, a contestant from Love Island UK’s third season, shared in an interview with This Morning in 2017 that when the microphones are off, they are not permitted to discuss anything related to the show. Although they can converse, they must be cautious about the topics as the producers aim to record everything for viewers at home. It’s essentially a break from the intense games, dates, and decisions about who they like or dislike.

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2025-07-17 02:18