Kendall & Nicole Share Big Relationship Update After Love Island Reunion
"It's hard to process this one."
Love Island USA is its own romantic bubble, and now that it’s popped, every couple is trying to adjust to the pressures of the real world. That’s been particularly difficult for Kendall Washington and Nicole Jacky. They seemed to form a strong bond at the villa, but Washington has revealed that “negative comments” from fans of the show started to affect his relationship with Jacky in the weeks since they left. Plus, Jacky’s IG story on Aug. 1 confirmed that things have been rocky.
“Some of you have noticed that I’ve been quiet and not posting much, so just wanted to provide an update,” Jacky wrote, per Page Six. “While Love Island was an amazing experience, things have not been easy since leaving the villa. There’s much more to share on what has happened since coming home, and for now, I’ve been talking time to process — these are real feelings and my real life.” She also thanked her followers for “understanding.”
The couple finally revealed where they stood during the show’s Aug. 19 reunion. Though Jacky and Washington confirmed they were still together at the time, it seemed like their relationship was only hanging on by a thread. Jacky tearfully revealed that Washington lied to her about a leaked video of himself, claiming he had sent it to an ex-girlfriend years ago, when he actually sent it to someone on a dating app right before going on Love Island. The emotional exchange left things unclear about their future.
Sure enough, the former couple confirmed they had broken up just one day after the reunion aired. Both Washington and Jacky shared statements to their Instagram stories on Aug. 20 confirming that Washington broke up with Jacky. Washington said the relationship had reached a “not healthy” stage, but Jacky seemed thrown by the sudden split. “While I understand and respect his decision, it’s hard to process this one,” she wrote. “I opened up to him in the villa, and still love and care for him now.”
Prior to the breakup, Washington hinted he and Jacky were struggling in their post-show relationship. “Nicole and I really want to just work on what we have currently and adjust that to real life,” Washington said during an episode of The Viall Files podcast. “Right now, outside the villa, yes, we are together, and it’s just an adjustment of, ‘OK, what is our life? How do we make this work on the outside?’”
The overwhelmingly negative fan response to Washington didn’t help matters. “We’re honestly just taking it day by day because being in the public eye and seeing everyone’s opinions, it affects people differently,” the reality star said. “When I see any negative comments about me or Nicole and me, I just brush it off. But Nicole takes things differently.”
Both Washington and Jacky have stated they’re going to focus on their mental health after the breakup.
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