Love Island Season 7 Recap: Highlighting the Biggest Moments from Week 5 (Daily Updates)
Things are heating up on Love Island USA, as one couple gets sent to the Hideaway — while at least another couple has already hooked up in secret.
During the July 6 episode of the dating show, which airs daily except Wednesdays, Ace Greene, Amaya Espinal, Bryan Arenales, Chelley Bissainthe, Cierra, Clarke Carraway, Chris Seeley, Elan Bibas, Huda Mustafa, Iris Kendall, Pepe Garcia, Nic Vansteenberghe, Olandria Carthen and Taylor Williams were all in for a surprise.
Midway through the episode, narrator Iain Stirling announced that Cierra “left the villa due to a personal situation,” noting that Nic was now “officially single.” Fortunately, the villa had their resident matchmaker, Ace, ready to cheer for Nic and Olandria to rekindle their connection.
This is exactly what transpired as the remaining guys were either settled in their couples or vying for Amaya Papaya’s affection. Amaya faced a tough choice after Ariana Madix arrived for a recoupling, presenting her with three suitors: Zak, Elan, and Bryan.
Week 5 turned things upside down, as Cierra and Nic were one of the strongest couples. Her exit came amid the resurfacing of a racist post, making her the third Islander to face backlash since filming began. (The Islanders are halfway through their sixth week in Fiji, but Us Weekly will track the events based on their airdate on Peacock.)
As the group settles into their relationships just a week before the finale, Us will keep you updated with live highlights, so keep scrolling:
Monday, July 7
Following a successful recoupling, the group was surprised by the fake baby challenge. The objective was to care for the baby while minimizing its crying, but not all couples proved to be great teams.
Taylor and Clarke emerged as the winners, with Iris and Pepe, Nic and Olandria, and Huda and Chris coming in a close second. Sadly, Ace and Chelley and Bryan and Amaya could not succeed despite their best efforts. This challenge also revealed some tensions in Huda and Chris’ relationship after she confronted him about his remarks and lack of consideration for her feelings.
Fortunately, Huda and Chris managed to discuss their issues — and he later confided in Bryan that they had hooked up the night prior. Meanwhile, Bryan was falling more for Amaya just as The Hideaway became available. Amaya and Bryan were designated the couple to spend a romantic night away.
Back in the villa, Nic and Olandria realized how attracted they were to each other, encouraging them to explore their connection before their time in Fiji wraps up.
The sneak peek for Tuesday’s episode teased that another couple — Pepe and Iris — were about to become intimate just as America’s votes would send one pair home.
Sunday, July 6
Week 5 kicked off with a shock when Cierra departed the villa, prompting Nic to question his future there. He decided to take another chance with Olandria, connecting over their shared familiarity.
Meanwhile, Taylor planned a special date for Clarke to demonstrate his seriousness. Amaya’s search for The One intensified after her kiss with Bryan, and she engaged in conversations with Zak and Elan, as the guys in the villa finally recognized her as America’s Sweetheart.
Just as Nic and Olandria were having a sweet conversation—where Nic playfully mentioned the Nicolandria ship name that went viral—Ariana arrived for the week’s recoupling.
Sunday’s episode wrapped up with Ace and Chelley reconvening, while Clarke picked Taylor. After forming an unexpected bond post their matches’ elimination, Iris and Pepe decided to give their relationship a chance. Chris chose Huda, and Olandria delighted Us by selecting Nic.
Amaya was the last to choose, opting for Bryan, which meant Elan and Zak were sent home.
