Love Island Games Season 2 has wasted no time turning up the drama, with its third episode—airing September 18, 2025—delivering a surprise elimination, emotional reunions, and the arrival of two fan-favorite bombshells. As the dust settles, viewers are left with a new roster of couples, a single Islander, and plenty of questions about what’s next for the show’s international cast of hopefuls.
The season, which premiered on September 16, 2025, at 9 p.m. ET, is making waves for more than just its rapid-fire schedule. Hosted by Ariana Madix, who took the reins from Maya Jama, Love Island Games brings together alumni from different versions of the Love Island franchise, all vying for the ultimate prize: love—and a $100,000 jackpot. The show airs nightly on Peacock, except for Wednesdays, with Saturday episodes followed by the chat show Love Island: Aftersun, hosted by UK season 5 alum Maura Higgins, as reported by TV Insider and The Sun.
Thursday’s third episode was especially tense, featuring a skill-based challenge that pitted four couples against each other in a game requiring steady hands and teamwork. According to The Sun, the Islanders had to guide a ring through a metal maze shaped like a broken heart, with any slip-up forcing them to start over. The stakes were high: the losers would be left vulnerable, and one would ultimately be sent home.
The night’s first twist came when Andreina Santos and Charlie Georgios, both previously saddled with the dreaded heartbreaker necklaces after losing a Gladiator duel to Lucinda Stafford and Josh Goldstein, were whisked away from the Villa for a secret retreat. There, they met their new partners: Andreina reunited with Johnny Middlebrooks, runner-up of Love Island Games Season 1, while Charlie was paired with Justine Ndiba, the Season 1 champion. Their return to the Villa—now as new pairs—set the stage for the evening’s main event.
In the challenge, Andreina and Johnny, as well as Justine and Charlie, were tasked with choosing two other couples from the Villa to compete against. They selected Nicola Gauci Borda-Warr & Isaiah Campbell, and Garbi Denteh & Kendall Washington. The competition was fierce. Nicola and Isaiah edged out Justine and Charlie, while Andreina and Johnny triumphed over Garbi and Kendall.
The consequences were immediate. Andreina’s victory allowed her to pass her heartbreaker necklace to someone from a losing team. She chose Kendall, making both him and Charlie single and vulnerable. As is tradition, the Islanders themselves decided who would be dumped from the island, casting their votes in a dramatic ceremony. In the end, Charlie Georgios received the fewest votes and was sent packing, marking his second early exit from a Love Island franchise in as many seasons. Fans expressed their disappointment on social media, with one writing, “Charlie brought vibes every single episode. The Villa feels empty without him,” as quoted by The Sun.
Charlie’s elimination was especially poignant given his recent history. He had previously been dumped early from Love Island USA Season 7, after viewers chose to couple his love interest, Hannah Fields, with another contestant. During the show’s reunion special, Charlie admitted he felt hurt by the vote and that his budding romance with Hannah was cut short. Now, history has repeated itself, and viewers can’t help but sympathize with the unlucky Islander.
Meanwhile, the recoupling left the Villa with a fresh set of pairs. As reported by Parade, the new couples after episode 3 are: Andreina Santos-Marte & Johnny Middlebrooks, Andrea Carmona & Josh Goldstein, Lucinda Stafford & Tyrique Hyde, Garbi Denteh & Kendall Washington, Nicola Gauci Borda-Warr & Isaiah Campbell, Vickala “Kay Kay” Gray & Christopher “Chris” Seeley, and Solene Favreau & Mert Okatan. Justine Ndiba, despite her return as a bombshell, found herself single at the end of the night.
This season’s cast is a who’s who of Love Island alumni, bringing together personalities from the U.S., the U.K., Malta, and beyond. Notably, Isaiah Campbell—now coupled with Nicola Gauci Borda-Warr—was previously in a high-profile relationship with Sydney Paight from Love Island USA Season 4. The couple dated for over a year after leaving the show in 2022, maintaining a long-distance relationship between Los Angeles and Florida. However, as TV Insider details, their romance ended in December 2023 after Isaiah was caught kissing another woman during a night out, a moment Sydney learned about via video. Reflecting on the breakup, Sydney said on the Unattainable podcast, “There was real love there. I honestly consider that the first relationship I ever had where I experienced love, especially on an adult level. I didn’t know what else to do. I cut it off. I did what I thought was right in the moment. I hope he’s doing well. There’s no hate there.”
Isaiah, for his part, accepted responsibility for the split, telling the Forever Unemployed podcast, “If you guys are going to pick sides, please just pick hers. If she did to me what I did to her, I can’t say I’d do anything different.” Their story is a reminder of the real-life stakes and emotional baggage that contestants bring into the Villa—baggage that producers are never shy about exploiting for maximum drama.
With Charlie gone, the remaining Islanders—Andrea Carmona, Andreina Santos-Marte, Christopher “Chris” Seeley, Garbi Denteh, Isaiah Campbell, Josh Goldstein, Johnny Middlebrooks, Justine Ndiba, Vickala “Kay Kay” Gray, Kendall Washington, Lucinda Strafford, Mert Okatan, Nicola Gauci Borda-Warr, Solene Favreau, and Tyrique Hyde—are left to navigate new alliances and rivalries. The competition is only heating up, and with new episodes dropping nightly on Peacock at 9 p.m. EST (except Wednesdays), fans won’t have to wait long to see what happens next.
For those keeping track, the season is set to run for two weeks, with the finale scheduled for September 30, 2025. Saturday episodes will continue to be followed by Love Island: Aftersun, where Maura Higgins and guests dissect the week’s biggest moments and plot twists.
As the Love Island Games Season 2 Villa grows smaller and the stakes get higher, one thing is certain: no one is safe, and every episode brings a new shock. With heartbreak, second chances, and $100,000 on the line, the Islanders—and viewers—are in for a wild ride.
