Trouble in paradise? Just weeks after the Love Island USA season 7 reunion filmed, Iris Kendall and Jose “Pepe” Garcia-Gonzalez may have called it quits.
The reality TV finalists, who became fan favorites during the summer season, sparked breakup rumors on Sunday, August 24, when eagle-eyed fans noticed that the two had unfollowed each other on Instagram. Iris, 25, no longer follows Pepe, 27, and vice versa — a move that immediately set off alarm bells across social media.
Fans wasted no time reacting to the news. One viewer admitted they were “so upset” to hear the rumors, while another chimed in with their own observations, writing, “I thought so because she had more pics and videos of him on her page. He stopped commenting on her photos too and he was always one of the first.”
Adding fuel to the speculation, Iris took to her Instagram Stories with what many interpreted as a cryptic response. She posted a sunset photo soundtracked by Fleetwood Mac’s iconic breakup ballad “Silver Springs,” which includes the pointed lyrics: “Time cast a spell on you, but you won’t forget me / I know I could’ve loved you, but you would not let me.”
So far, neither Iris nor Pepe has directly addressed the status of their relationship. Life & Style has reached out to both for comment.
The timing is especially interesting given that Pepe only shared a video of the couple together on August 15, just ten days before the unfollowing. In the clip, the pair cuddled while reflecting on their bond. Pepe even joked that he only “liked” Iris depending “on the day,” to which Iris quipped she liked him on “days that end in y,” sparking laughter between them. At the time, the playful exchange suggested all was well.
It’s also worth noting that as recently as August 8, Pepe told TMZ, “We’re great, we’re great, we’re doing great.” If the couple did split, the change in their relationship status appears to have happened in the past couple of weeks.
Just two weeks ago, the pair also spoke to Us Weekly about their post-villa plans. Iris admitted she wanted to have “a conversation” with her former island flame, Thomas John “TJ” Palma, explaining, “It’s definitely different in the villa than the outside world. It was definitely a lot.” Pepe similarly revealed that he wanted to reconnect with fellow contestant Hannah Fields, 23, telling the outlet he planned to “reach out and just see how she’s doing.”
Now, with the Love Island USA reunion special airing tonight, August 25, on Peacock, hosted by Andy Cohen and Ariana Madix, fans will be tuning in to see if Iris and Pepe address their relationship status. For now, the unfollowing — combined with Iris’s not-so-subtle song choice — has many convinced that the couple’s villa romance has officially cooled off.
