Love Island USA’s Austin apologizes after sharing offensive post amid contestant criticism

Love Island USA star Austin Shepard is speaking out after facing backlash for a social media repost he made that went viral before his sudden exit from the villa

Love Island USA season 7 contestant Austin Shepard is speaking out after facing backlash for a social media post shared shortly after his exit from the villa.

On Saturday, July 5, the 26-year-old took to Instagram to address criticism over a repost many online considered offensive. While the original post has since been deleted, it reportedly sparked accusations of racism and insensitivity among fans.

“I want to take a moment to address my recent repost that has caused offense to some of you,” Austin wrote. “As you all know, I have a very dry sense of humor, and I genuinely didn’t think before sharing that content.”

He added, “It was never my intention to hurt or upset anyone. I value and respect all individuals and their perspectives.”

Austin’s message comes just days after he was dumped from the island alongside Andreina Santos, TJ Palma, Gracyn Blackmore, and Jaden Duggar. Following his return to social media, Austin participated in a Q&A session on Friday, July 4, where he directly responded to a fan who asked if he was a “racist bigot.”

“I’m going to give this attention only one time because this is, like, crazy,” Austin said in a video reply. “Are you f—ing dumb? Like, honestly, are you dumb? Do you not think?”

In the same video, Austin pointed to a tattoo on his body as a way to shut down the accusation, “I have a Black woman tatted on my side. Use your head.”

While the comment seemed to be an attempt at defending himself, it only added to the ongoing online conversation around his judgment and attitude following his Love Island appearance.

In his written statement posted the following day, Austin acknowledged the backlash, writing, “I recognize that my choice of content did not resonate well with everyone, and for that, I sincerely apologize. I’m committed to learning from this experience and to being more mindful in the future. Thank you for your understanding and for holding me accountable.”

He concluded, “Love you all [and] thank you so much for an incredible experience.”

Austin’s controversy comes on the heels of another racial issue within the villa. Earlier this season, fellow Islander Yulissa Escobedo was removed from the show after her own past racially insensitive comments resurfaced online. She later addressed her removal in a July 3 TikTok video.

“I wasn’t just dragged out in the dark. I walked out in broad daylight head high, lashes on,” Yulissa said. “I did not wake up in the middle of the night. They didn’t drag my ass out of bed. I was actually just getting comfortable and just coming out of my shell because initially I was kind of timid and shy. I was upset that I got pulled out on that day because I was like, ‘Damn, I was just starting to have fun.’”

Her exit was only briefly mentioned on air by narrator Iain Stirling, who simply noted that she had “left the villa” without elaborating on the reason behind her departure.

Additionally, current islander Cierra Ortega is facing backlash from outside the villa after two screenshots of her using racial slurs on social media have resurfaced. For now, she remains safe in the villa despite fan calls for her to be removed.