‘Love Island USA’ fan favorite Nic Vansteenberghe speaks out after split from Olandria Carthen
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“The rumors are true. I didn’t want to give people false hope, so I want to clear the air,” he wrote on July 26.
Nic Vansteenberghe is finally addressing the end of his relationship with Olandria Carthen, one of “Love Island USA” season 7’s most beloved pairings.
PEOPLE confirmed on July 22 that Vansteenberghe, 25, and Carthen, 28, had parted ways just over a year after leaving the Fiji villa together. The 25-year-old has now spoken on the breakup himself, choosing his subscribers-only TikTok to set the record straight.
“The rumors are true. I didn’t want to give people false hope, so I want to clear the air,” he wrote on July 26, per a widely shared screenshot. “We will continue to love each other ALWAYS. It’s a sensitive, as well as a private subject, thank you for respecting our privacy.”
He explained his decision to break the news on that particular platform by pointing to the loyalty of his subscribers, calling them “our biggest supporters.”
His statement follows what a source shared about the nature of the split, describing a couple that “decided to part ways” but “remain close friends.” According to the insider, the demands of distance and busy schedules made sustaining the relationship difficult, though the two “share a deep love and respect for each other and will always support one another whenever possible.”
The breakup closes a chapter on a romance fans had followed closely since the show. As previously reported, Carthen initially held back from pursuing a connection with Vansteenberghe out of respect for her friend Cierra Ortega, who had been coupled with him early on.
It wasn’t until Ortega exited the villa that Carthen allowed herself to lean into the chemistry, later reflecting that she had spent much of the season prioritizing everyone else’s feelings over her own.
Vansteenberghe, for his part, once described himself as Carthen’s “secret admirer from day one,” pointing to a history that predated their memorable Casa Amor kiss.
Notably, the pair had made a deliberate choice to keep their relationship largely private after the show. Speaking to Cosmopolitan in June, Carthen explained their reasoning, saying they had no interest in monetizing or performing their romance for cameras, preferring instead to simply enjoy each other’s company like “normal people.”