First Photos from ‘Love Island USA’ Set Feature ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Star Ariana Madix
She ~got a text!~ Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix ditched the SUR life and headed over to the villa for a change of scenery, and fans couldn’t wait to get a glimpse of her first photos taken on the set of Love Island USA.
Ariana, 38, appeared in a mermaid-esque aquamarine mini dress during week 2 of season 5. The episode airs on Tuesday, July 25, on Peacock. According to photos obtained by Life & Style, Ariana appears to be hosting one of the show’s couples’ challenges. In one picture, she is holding up a note that reads “Mr. & Mrs.” and another snapshot captured her standing in front of the contestants in the villa.
One day prior, Ariana teased her cameo on the hit reality dating series, which introduces viewers to a large group of single adults in their 20s and 30s looking for love in Fiji. Based on the U.K. series of the same title, Love Island USA includes various shakeups within the show that challenge the participants to put their feelings to the test.
In a Twitter video posted on Monday, July 24, Ariana is seen lying across a beach chair in the Love Island USA villa. Suddenly, a message reaches Ariana’s phone and she holds it up to say the show’s catchphrase: “I got a text!”
“You could say there’s a hot new bombshell entering the villa. Me!” Ariana says while lounging in a stunning, white cut-out mini dress. “Don’t miss me drop into the villa on an all-new episode of Love Island USA tomorrow, only on Peacock.”
At the end of the July 24 episode, fans got their first glimpse at Ariana’s entrance into the villa, with the narrator teasing that Ariana would “deliver the drama.”
Ariana even gushed over her appearance by posting a snap via Instagram that day, noting that she couldn’t “believe [she was] popping” into the villa.
“I am GATHERED around the fire pit,” she teased in her caption, referencing the show’s location where the single contestants hold private conversations or discuss larger group competitions.
Ariana’s presence on the dating show comes four months after her messy breakup from ex-boyfriend Tom Sandoval. Tom, 41, and Ariana split after nine years of dating because he cheated on her with their costar Raquel Leviss during the last eight months of their ill-fated relationship.
Pump Rules fans watched the former couple’s nasty split unfold during the season 10 finale. The subsequent three-part reunion special, which aired in May, also unpacked a lot of untold truths that Raquel, 28, admitted toward the end.
The scandal dubbed “Scandoval” was difficult for Ariana, not only because it ended her relationship with Tom, but it also destroyed her and Raquel’s friendship. Nevertheless, Ariana has made it a point to move on from the drama by staying busy. In addition to advertising her and Katie Maloney’s sandwich shop, Something About Her, Ariana also confirmed that she is will be a contestant on season 32 of Dancing With the Stars.
“This season on Dancing with the Stars, we are going absolutely mad — mad for Madix!” DWTS pro Derek Hough said during a July 7 appearance on Good Morning America, while Ariana added, “That’s right, I’m Vanderpump Rules‘ Ariana Madix, and I will be joining the cast of Dancing with the Stars this season.”