Imagine yourself entering a classic reality show with nine other contestants. Each contestant walks in with the intent of coming out of there with the love of their life. With new relationships and people entering the villa, there are bound to be tears and heartbreak. This is “Love Island”.
“Love Island” is a show where single women and men enter a confined villa to create relationships with the other cast members. Season six of the show was released via Peacock this summer, and immediately after the first episode, fans started falling in love with the cast members. The cast members this season were Leah Kateb, Serena Page, JaNa Craig, Kordell Beckham, Kaylor Martin, Robert Rausch, Coye Simmons, Hannah Smith, Kendall Washington and Aaron Evans. These ten would eventually couple up with each other, giving us the most infamous couple of Rob and Leah.
A brief warning: several spoilers will follow, so if you are finished with the show, enjoy your read. If not, kindly proceed with caution.
Rob and Leah were one of the first couples of the season, lasting for a couple episodes until two new women entered the villa: Andrea Carmona and Nicole D. Jacky. The twist announced for the episode was for contestants to stand up from the couch if they’d like to couple with one of the girls. Rob, who was coupled with Leah, stood up and coupled with Andrea. This ultimately caused conflict resulting in the girls and boys being forced to dump one vulnerable Islander. The girls ended up dumping Andrea, eliminating her from the island. Rob was understandably upset and threatened to leave the villa with her.
“Now, you’re sending three home,” Leah Kateb said, commenting on Rob’s fashion choices in the show.
Creators on the social media app TikTok would use audio from this specific point of the show, eventually making the media blow up in views and commentary. Users would go on to mock Rob when he said he was going to leave with Andrea. On the other hand, though, this would cause major spoilers for many who didn’t know about the show or were going to watch it but hadn’t yet, which naturally caused an even bigger social uproar.
TikTok continued to play a major role because after Andrea left the villa, there was much hate towards her character due to many of her comments about other girls in the show. On TikTok LIVE, she answered questions about being on the show, including the controversial “Is Rob a good kisser?” After this, Rob saw this video and in response, he told interviewers that it would be better if they stayed friends and shouldn’t try to pursue any type of relationship.
Another episode introduced Casa Amor, where the men in the villa would go to another confined villa, meeting a whole new slate of tempting contestants: the Casa Girls. The same was true for the women in the villa going off to meet their new temptations: the Casa Boys. The recoupling was very intense. All the women in the Villa stayed loyal to the men they were already coupled up with back at the main villa, but Olivia Walker, also known as Liv, coupled up with Casa Boy Caine Bacon.
The men, however, did not stay loyal at all after meeting the Casa Girls. Every man who went to Casa came back with a new girl. Miguel Harichi, who was coupled with Leah, paired up with Sierra Mills. Kordell, who was with Serena, hooked up with Daia McGee. Kenny Roddriguez, who was coupled with JaNa, coupled with Catherine Marshall, caused tension at the Villa as the original couples (before “Casa”) had many moments together. This gave us fights, arguments and even some of the Islanders threatening to leave the show. The couples would eventually make up and at the next recoupling, Kenny and JaNa; Kordell and Serena; and Leah and Miguel would eventually recouple, dumping Catherine, Daia, and Liv from the island.
The winners of “Love Island” season six were announced: Serena and Kordell. They ended up splitting the money and giving them both $50 thousand. Many fans complained that the votes were rigged and that Leah and Miguel should have won.
“They were so winner-coded,” Beti Lencha (11) said. Serena and Kordell had ups and downs in their relationship after “Casa Amor”. This gave their storyline the push they needed to win the show. Serena was known for not going back to a man who hurts her as she said in previous episodes. They’re journey on the show was amazing. Their relationship being the second longest-lasting couple overall.
“Love Island” reunion was the last episode of every season, basically recapping the show and inviting the couples back onto the show to discuss what happened after the show. On the show, Kendall and Nicole discussed their drama. Inappropriate videos and photos were leaked of the cast member Kendall Washington. Leah, Liv and JaNa also got their chances to confront Andrea about her comments about others inside and out of the show. Andrea called Leah too in an interview and commented on Hannah never going to the gym inside the villa, though Hannah cleared up that she didn’t take any offense to that comment.
Kaylor and Aaron revealed, however, didn’t have the best experience on “Love Island”. Aaron was not a loyal man and caused Kaylor to doubt herself and cry a lot in the show. But Kaylor ultimately stood up for herself confronting Aaron about how he made her feel on the show.
“I can’t believe I wasted my whole summer on you,” Kaylor said firmly without shedding a single tear.
Overall, “Love Island” was addictive, trashy fun for so many reality show fans this summer due to the help of social media, or, more specifically, TikTok. With a cast so easy to fall in love with and grow attached to, the sixth season is sure to go down in “Love Island” history.
