The 12th episode of Love Island USA Season 7 was note-worthy in more ways than one.
Airing on Sunday, June 15, it featured the shocking results of America’s Vote, which resulted in Charlie Georgiou being dumped from the Villa by his fellow Islanders and the tumultuous — but passionate — coupling of Jeremiah Brown and Huda Mustafa be split up. However, before all the drama went down, the cast played a sexy lumberjack game called “Got Wood?” and it was guest hosted by Summer House alum Paige DeSorbo.
DeSorbo was an excellent hostess for a majority of the challenge, but eagle-eyed fans couldn’t help but notice her absence right before Pepe Garcia’s turn.
“Paige has stepped aside, so I’ll take over from here,” said the series’ narrator Iain Stirling.
So, what happened to DeSorbo? The reality star answered the question herself during the Tuesday, June 17 episode of her podcast Giggly Squad.
Why Paige DeSorbo left in the middle of Love Island USA
The 32-year-old revealed that she endured a minor medical emergency after a long day of traveling and filming in the intense Fiji heat. In addition to the high temperatures, she was wearing a suede turtleneck cut-out dress, heavy hair extensions, and had a mic pac fixed to the back of her neck. And while DeSorbo took a beta blocker before hosting to calm her nerves, she still wasn’t feeling well once “Got Wood?” kicked off.
“And mind you, I had just landed — not even a full 24 hours that I’m there. I’m not even acclimated. But I’m fine, I’m not gonna say that. I’m not gonna be a diva. Like, I’m doing a job,” she said on her podcast.
She noted that production took care of her in between takes, with umbrellas and ice packs to help cool her down. “The sun starts beating down on me pretty aggressively. I have a high pain tolerance, so if I’m uncomfortable, I’m really waiting for the last second to tell you, because I don’t want to be a problem. I don’t want to be bothersome.”
The reality star went on to explain that about two hours into filming, she started feeling “a little bit queasy” and had to take a break. “I throw up,” she said.
“I’m not feeling totally normal, but again, I’m not stopping the show that has so graciously asked me to come on.”
She continued, “I have like an ear piece in and someone can hear me talking. And I literally just go, ‘I’m gonna need another minute.’ I go into the cabin in which there literally is the whole game. I literally sit down, pass out. And they’re like ‘OK, we’re gonna take your blood pressure, we’re gonna stop for a minute.'”
It was then she knew she, unfortunately, couldn’t continue filming.
“I politely said, ‘I’m sorry, I don’t think I can keep going, and if I do, I really will pass out.”
DeSorbo has — thankfully — since recovered. A silver lining? She’ll appear on this week’s Love Island: Aftersun, streaming Saturday, June 21. And don’t worry, she’s won’t be wearing the green suede dress.
