For 'Love Island USA' superfan Ariana Madix, hosting the show 'does not feel like work'

There was a scene in Season 10 of Bravo's “Vanderpump Rules" — before the real-life cheating fiasco dubbed Scandoval was revealed — where Ariana Madix and her then-boyfriend Tom Sandoval acknowledged they weren't spending enough quality time together. Sandoval wanted to party like a rock star while Madix wanted him to stay in with her, watching her favorite TV show, “Love Island USA," with friends.

“I don't have time to watch 50 (expletive) episodes of ‘Love Island.’ No, I don't.” he said.

“That's literally all we talk about so..." Madix responded, in a get-on-board or you're-out-of-luck kind of way.

Cut to about a year and a half later and Madix and Sandoval are no longer together. The Scandoval of it all is that Sandoval had been cheating on Madix for more than six months with a “Vanderpump” co-star. Madix is now the host of “Love Island USA" on Peacock, taking over for previous host Sarah Hyland.

It's a fitting development for Madix, whose nearly 10-year relationship fell apart publicly. Since then, she's competed on “Dancing with the Stars" and performed on Broadway as Roxie Hart in “Chicago." Her initial stint was extended due to ticket demand, and she'll return to the role next month. A former bartender, Madix released a bestselling cocktail recipe book and opened a sandwich shop called “Something About Her” in Los Angeles with “Vanderpump” co-star Katie Maloney.

For the last month, Madix has been in Fiji filming “Love Island USA." She says the job is a dream come true for a superfan like herself.

“I love watching how this show is made," said Madix in a recent Zoom interview. "There’s a crew of maybe 400 people or so that work on the show to make this happen and to turn these episodes around almost in real-time. It is so impressive.”

On “Love Island USA,” a group of single men and women move into a remote villa with the goal of finding love. The contestants couple up based on first impressions. Those relationships are tested. Do they have lasting chemistry? They also have the option to explore connections with other people, including a stream of new singles who arrive throughout. At different times, viewers are invited to vote for their favorite couples. Contestants are also eliminated at different points, and in the end, the public votes for the winning couple who gets a cash prize.

In a Q&A, Madix speaks about “Love Island USA” and future opportunities. Answers are edited for clarity and brevity.

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