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Love Island USA star Nicole Jacky has broken her silence amid speculation that she and co-star Kendall Washington have called it quits.
The 26-year-old reality TV star took to her Instagram Story on August 1, where she shared an update for fans since the Love Island USA season six finale. “Some of you have noticed that I’ve been quiet and not posting much, so just wanted to provide an update,” she wrote in the post.
“While Love Island was an amazing experience, things have not been easy since leaving the villa,” Jacky continued. “There’s much more to share on what has happened since coming home, and for now, I’ve been taking time to process – these are real feelings and my real life.”
“Thanks for understanding. Love y’all,” she concluded the post, along with a red heart emoji.
The medical sales representative came in fourth place alongside Washington, 27, during the sixth season of Peacock’s hit reality dating show, a spin-off of ITV’s Love Island UK. Ever since Jacky entered the Fiji villa on day six, she and Washington maintained a close connection and even told each other “I love you” during the season finale, which aired on July 21.
However, it seems that things have been rocky for Jacky and Washington since coming back home to the states. Just hours after the season finale, a “private” video of Washington had leaked online. The medical device sales rep issued a statement about the NSFW video shortly after receiving his phone back from Love Island USA producers, writing on his Instagram Story: “What a way to get my phone back y’all.”
“I just want to address the content that came out from my past,” he explained to his followers. “That was something I shared to someone in confidence and trust. It’s unfortunate that it’s no longer private but it is what it is.”
“I want to thank you all for the calls/texts to support me during this time,” the Texas resident said. “I am so grateful for my Love Island experience and I love you all for tuning in to watch my journey. Excited for what’s next.”
Fans were quick to speculate that the couple had called it quits after the video leaked, citing Jacky’s most recent Instagram post without Washington as cause for concern. Washington later confirmed during an appearance on The Viall Files podcast that he and Jacky are simply adjusting to life as a couple outside the villa.
“Nicole and I really want to just work on what we have currently and adjust that to real life,” Washington told podcast host Nick Viall on the July 30 episode. “Right now, outside the villa, yes, we are together, and it’s just an adjustment of, ‘Okay, what is our life? How do we make this work on the outside?’”
While he shared that the pair have continued to use the word “love” after filming wrapped, Washington maintained that he and Jacky are taking things slow in their relationship.
“We’re honestly just taking it day by day because being in the public eye and seeing everyone’s opinions, it affects people differently,” he said. “When I see any negative comments about me or Nicole and me, I just brush it off. But Nicole takes things differently.”
Although, he couldn’t assure fans that he and Jacky will still be together by the time the Love Island USA season six reunion airs later this month.
“I don’t know the future. I don’t know what’s going to happen in a week or a day. It would be a lie if I said 100 percent chance, because I just don’t know. But I believe that when we have those conversations, it can go well,” Washington said, adding: “At the end of the day, we’re going to respect what we decide on, but it’s at a point when we need to have conversations. We just haven’t done that.”
The Love Island USA season six reunion, hosted by Ariana Madix, hits Peacock on Monday, August 19 at 9pm ET.
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