“They weren’t prepared for this” – Paige DeSorbo’s team scrambled to contain fierce backlash as Love Island USA debut triggers wave of ‘clout-chasing’ accusations and leaves Bravo insiders fuming over her surprise exit - suong

In a twist that has sent shockwaves through both the Bravo fandom and Love Island’s massive viewer base, Paige DeSorbo’s highly anticipated debut as a guest host on Love Island USA has triggered a wave of online backlash—forcing her team into full-on damage control mode as accusations of opportunism and “clout-chasing” spiral across social media.

The Summer House alum, best known for her signature wit, fashion-forward takes, and on-again-off-again romance with Southern Charm’s Craig Conover, stunned fans earlier this month when she quietly jetted off to Fiji to begin filming for Peacock’s wildly popular dating series. The announcement, which came without warning to many of her closest Bravo castmates, sparked both excitement and confusion—followed by a swift and furious online response.

According to sources close to the situation, Paige’s team was “not fully prepared” for the scale and tone of the criticism. “They assumed the crossover would be welcomed,” one insider tells DailyMail+, “but instead, the narrative online quickly turned to claims that Paige used Bravo, especially Summer House, to build her brand—only to walk away when a bigger opportunity came knocking.”

Within 24 hours of her Love Island debut airing, Twitter (X) and Reddit threads exploded with fiery commentary. Fans accused Paige of abandoning the show and friendships that made her famous, while others claimed her polished presence on Love Island felt “too rehearsed, too influencer, not enough realness.” One viral post with over 20,000 likes read, “Paige DeSorbo is giving more Brand Manager than Bombshell. She’s here for her hosting reel, not for the villa.”

Her PR team quickly scrambled to reframe the narrative. An anonymous source familiar with the internal strategy revealed that emergency meetings were held the night of the premiere. “They rushed to prep social content focusing on Paige’s fun side, her humor, her relatability—trying to remind the public who she was before all this,” the source says. “The team even debated whether she should address the backlash directly on Giggly Squad, but ultimately decided to keep things light.”

Meanwhile, tension reportedly simmered behind the scenes at Bravo, where some insiders were “less than thrilled” by Paige’s surprise departure. Though she was never under an exclusive contract with the network, a source close to production revealed that Paige had been in “early talks” to return for Summer House Season 9—but never gave a definitive answer before jetting off to Love Island. “It caught some people off guard,” the source added. “Certain castmates feel used, like she leveraged her Bravo fame just long enough to trade up.”

As of now, Paige has remained mostly silent on the criticism. She continues to post filtered snapshots from Fiji, smiling in bold colors and towering heels, seemingly unfazed. But her silence hasn’t quelled the discourse—in fact, it’s only fueled speculation that the influencer-turned-host may be permanently pivoting away from Bravo.

“She’s not just testing new waters,” a veteran publicist observed. “She’s swimming for a whole new shore. The question is—will her fans follow her there?”

For now, Paige DeSorbo’s name is trending for all the wrong reasons. Whether her Love Island moment will evolve into a career-defining move—or a branding misstep—remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the villa may be hot, but the internet is on fire.