Love Island USA has returned with a bang in its seventh season, captivating audiences with drama, romance, and unexpected twists. Since its premiere on June 3, 2025, the show has quickly become a streaming sensation, drawing in viewers with its real-time airing schedule and intense villa dynamics. Season 7 has already racked up an impressive 1.2 billion minutes viewed across just nine episodes from June 6 to 12, making it the second most-watched streaming show on television during that period, according to Luminate’s streaming data. This marks a staggering 244% increase over the previous week’s 335 million minutes viewed, underscoring the show’s surging popularity.
The success of Season 7 builds on the momentum from Season 6, which itself was Peacock’s most-watched original reality competition series ever. Season 6 reached the billion-minute milestone only by early July, after about a month into its six-week run, while Season 7 achieved nearly 1.2 billion minutes in just the second week of June. This meteoric rise is partly credited to the compelling cast and the addition of Vanderpump Rules’ Ariana Madix as host last season, whose presence has elevated the show’s profile. Peacock is also capitalizing on Season 6’s popularity by launching a spin-off series, Love Island: Beyond the Villa, featuring the Season 6 cast, which debuts on July 13, 2025.
The seventh season, filmed in the picturesque Mamanuca Islands of Fiji, features a fresh group of Islanders, including Huda Mustafa, Jeremiah Brown, Iris Kendall, Jalen Brown, Olandria Carthen, and others. The daily episodes, airing every day except Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Peacock, have kept fans hooked with their mix of romantic entanglements, challenges, and dramatic recouplings. Viewers participate actively through the official Love Island app, voting to influence recouplings and eliminations, adding an interactive layer that intensifies the stakes.
One of the central storylines this season revolves around the tumultuous relationship between Jeremiah Brown, a 25-year-old model from Seattle, and Huda Mustafa, a 24-year-old personal trainer and mother from Raleigh, North Carolina. From the very first episode, Jeremiah and Huda formed a strong bond, with Jeremiah signaling his interest early on by deflecting a kiss from another Islander and sharing a cheek kiss with Huda instead. Their connection earned them the affectionate label of the villa’s "mom and dad," with Huda eventually confiding in Jeremiah about her 4-year-old daughter, a secret she kept from the rest of the Islanders until she trusted him.
However, cracks began to appear in their relationship during Episode 12, which aired on June 15. During a group challenge hosted by Paige DeSorbo from Summer House, Jeremiah kissed fellow Islander Olandria Carthen, a move that visibly upset Huda. When confronted, Jeremiah shrugged off the incident as part of the challenge, further straining their bond. The tension escalated when America voted to pair new bombshells Pepe Garcia, Iris Kendall, and Jalen Brown with existing Islanders, breaking up some established couples. Jeremiah was paired with Iris, leaving Huda single and vulnerable. The Islanders then voted to eliminate one of the dumped contestants, with Huda narrowly surviving after Charlie Georgiou, a 27-year-old model from the UK, was eliminated instead.
Episode 13 deepened the drama as Jeremiah distanced himself from Huda, claiming to be "checked out" after the recoupling. His close friends Nic Vansteenberghe and Ace Greene accused him of being disingenuous in his relationship with Huda, calling him a "scammer" and a "fraud." Meanwhile, Huda was visibly distraught, overhearing Jeremiah disparage her in the shower, calling her a "b----" and "liar." The episode culminated in a heated confrontation where Huda told Jeremiah, "I don’t want s--- to do with you," marking a clear end to their connection.
The tension carried into Episode 14, airing June 17, where Jeremiah attempted to reconcile by suggesting they start over as friends, but Huda refused. Later, host Ariana Madix introduced a surprise recoupling twist: the women stood behind locked doors, and the men had to choose which door to open to couple up. Jeremiah faced a choice between Iris and Huda’s doors and ultimately chose Iris, again leaving Huda single and vulnerable alongside Jalen Brown, who was left out by Olandria Carthen in a similar manner.
The Islanders then voted between Huda and Jalen to decide who would remain in the villa. The vote was 8-4 in favor of saving Huda, with all women and Ace Greene backing her, while Pepe Garcia, Nic Vansteenberghe, Austin Shepard, and Jeremiah voted for Jalen. Interestingly, Ace’s vote for Huda was accompanied by a whispered "Hell, no" when she reached out to thank him, suggesting his support was more about stirring drama than genuine affection.
Meanwhile, other villa relationships also evolved amid the chaos. Hannah Fields, who had been coupled with Charlie Georgiou, found herself paired with new bombshell Pepe Garcia after Charlie’s elimination. Despite initial heartbreak, Hannah began to see potential in her new connection. Austin Shepard and Chelley Bissainthe navigated their own flirtations, with Austin describing Amaya Espinal as a "breath of fresh air" after choosing her over Chelley in the recoupling. Olandria Carthen and Taylor Williams also solidified their relationship, with Olandria admitting she might have left with Taylor if he had been dumped earlier.
The recoupling twists and eliminations have kept the villa atmosphere charged, with Islanders grappling with shifting alliances and emotions. The show's format, which includes viewer participation through voting and interactive challenges, adds unpredictability and keeps fans engaged. As the season progresses, key events such as Casa Amor and Movie Night, signature twists of the Love Island franchise, are yet to unfold, promising more drama and excitement.
Love Island USA’s rise in popularity can be attributed to several factors. The casting of relatable and dynamic personalities like Huda and Jeremiah has drawn audience interest, while Ariana Madix’s hosting brings a fresh energy. The show’s strong social media presence, especially on platforms like TikTok, fuels real-time commentary and fan engagement, amplifying its reach. Additionally, the overlap with Love Island UK, which launched shortly after the data period, could either boost or dilute viewership, as fans balance attention between both versions airing nearly daily.
With Season 7 already outperforming previous seasons in viewership and engagement, the question remains whether it will surpass the highs of Season 6 entirely. The ongoing drama, interactive format, and stunning Fijian backdrop make it a compelling watch for reality TV fans. Love Island USA continues to redefine the dating show genre, blending romance, competition, and audience participation into a captivating summer spectacle on Peacock.
