Saying goodbye to paradise. Two of the original Islanders from the third season of Love Island, Josh Goldstein and Shannon St. Clair, have left the villa amid a family tragedy.
During the Thursday, August 5, episode of the CBS reality series, the official couple walked into the communal bedroom to share the heartbreaking news: They were both planning to leave the show after learning that the 24-year-old contestant’s sister had died the previous night.
“I just want to tell you guys that me and Shannon are going home today,” Josh explained on the show, standing beside the Temple University alum, 25. “Unfortunately, my sister passed away last night. … I just got word.”
“She was an unbelievable person,” the baseball player continued. “She was the reason I’m here, the reason I found Shannon and met all you guys. It’s unexpected, but she lived an unbelievable life. I just need to be home with my family right now to support them. I just want to let you guys know that I’m so grateful to have met all of you, consider you all my best friends. We’re going to see each other again. This isn’t it.”
At the time, the CBS personality revealed he appreciated “the support and the friendships and the fun times and the laughs” over the past 22 episodes. “It’s been unbelievable and an experience that I’ll never forget.”
The couple, who became boyfriend and girlfriend the episode prior during a one-on-one ziplining date, said goodbye to their fellow contestants before exiting the villa.
Their former castmates later expressed sympathy for the Massachusetts native. “I couldn’t even imagine what he’s going through, what he’s feeling,” Cashay Proudfoot said in a confessional interview at the time.
As the episode aired, the official show Twitter page tweeted, “We send our love and condolences to Josh and his family from all of us at Love Island” with a red heart emoji.
The Southern New Hampshire University alum first coupled up with the Philadelphia native in the first episode, which aired in July.
Josh and Shannon aren’t the first contestants to quit the third season of the CBS hit. One week earlier, Leslie Golden suddenly left the program for “personal reasons,” she explained via Instagram Story at the time.
“It’s not that deep,” the Texas native wrote as the Sunday, August 1, episode aired. “[It] has absolutely nothing to do with anyone in the villa. I pinky swear,” noting that her exit was “completely unrelated to the drama.” She added, “I have no beef with anyone there. … I know I appeared like I’m drama, but that’s just not my vibe. I honestly had the time of my life and have no ill will towards a single person in the villa. no reason to run around making anyone’s life any harder, it’s all love here baby.”
