Ariana Madix Unexpectedly Arrives and Makes a Big Splash on Love Island Games
Ariana Madix crashes the villa to send the competition upside-down on Love Island Games!
We didn't think Love Island Games could get any more unpredictable, but a blonde bombshell made her presence known on last night's episode in a big way!
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Ariana Madix made her presence known on the November 6 and November 7 episodes of Love Island Games and proceeded to show off the enthusiasm and impact that made her a fan-favorite in the Vanderpump Rules universe! Let's be honest: We can't be the only ones still reeling from her unforgettable confrontation with Tom Sandoval over his affair in Season 10 of Vanderpump.
(Say what you want about Ariana, but she spoke for countless women during this memorable confrontation!)
Longtime Love Island fans know Ariana Madix has been a fan of the show since its inception – and even went as far as making a cameo during this summer's season of Love Island USA. So it shouldn't have surprised viewers to witness a superfan like Ariana injecting herself into the proceedings during last night's episode!
Dressed to kill in a blue dress, Ariana arrived on her first night in style. We haven't seen that many jaws on the floor in a long time (don't think we didn't see you, Curtis)!
"I could not miss out on all the fun and games," she announced to the stunned couples. "I don't know if you know, but I'm a massive Love Island fan, and I cannot believe I'm actually getting to meet you all; it's a very exciting night for me. I've seen literally every season, every episode, so… Hi."
However, Ariana revealed she was on a mission. She came bearing news – news that would shake up the competition and turn it on its head.
After admitting she wasn't "here to fangirl," Ariana broke the bad news: She's been put in charge of the first-ever Love Island Games Re-Coupling – a reveal that caused the competitors to replace their dropped jaws with a collective look of stunned silence.
At that point, everything changed. Existing couples were no longer – new pairings were in order, much to the dismay of, well, everyone.
Ariana bestowed the honor of having the villa's newest arrival, Kyra, select whoever she wanted to be paired with. At that point, reality sunk in: Everyone would be at the mercy of an old-fashioned schoolyard dodgeball team draft!
Kyra didn't waste her time – and if we didn't know any better, we would accuse her of trying to steal Ariana's thunder in that moment – and shockingly chose Megan, effectively ending Megan's short-lived pairing with Curtis.
"We're both very competitive," Kyra revealed with a smile. "Why can't two girls take the win?"
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(Maybe he was caught up in the moment, but it seemed to us that Curtis was so caught up in the all-female pairing that he barely had time to register disappointment!)
However, Adriana wasn't done shaking up the competition. Thanks to an impromptu lottery, islanders found themselves choosing new partners – whether they wanted to or not. When the dust settled, the Love Island Games Re-Coupling was complete. In the end, new couples were established: Curtis chose Lisa, while Ray picked Imani (after a surprisingly heartfelt speech). Toby/Cely, Johnny/Jessica, Callum/Liberty, and Jack/Justine rounded out the rest of the new couples.
Not content with shuffling the deck thoroughly, Ariana had another thing to check off her agenda. Before she left, Ariana teased what the villa would be faced with the next day: A couples challenge that promised to be the most intense competition yet! Not only would the winners be crowned the new Power Couple, but the two competitors would be faced with new responsibilities to be revealed at a later time.
And the following evening, the couples headed to Madix Mountain to participate in a ski resort-themed challenge that saw them sliding down the slopes and trusting their partners through blindfolds. Rocking a mermaid-turned-snow bunny look, Madix led our players through the challenge only for her to hold the results until later in the episode back at the villa.
As the drama unfolded as a result of Lisa calling Imani "two-faced" during the challenge, Madix rolled up once more to reveal the challenges' results: Imani and Ray were the new Power Couple, and they had to decide who to send home. The twist? Madix revealed that the challenge made two couples vulnerable for elimination.
Those two couples were Liberty and Callum and Cely and Toby. Next, Imani and Ray had to choose their targets. Rather than allow Imani and Ray some privacy, Madix encouraged them to share their reasoning rather than whisper their thoughts to each other, but the pair kept their thoughts to themselves and made Lisa and Curtis vulnerable as well.
"But there is a lifeline," Madix informed the three couples before introducing two new bombshells: Georgia Steel and Eyal Booker, both of Love Island UK Season 4 fame.
Now that's how you make an impact. We can't wait to see what kind of power Adriana yields next!
Love Island Games is streaming now on Peacock, with new episodes streaming six days a week.
Originally published Nov 6, 2023.
