“Love Island” star Austin Shepard is getting real about his struggle with addiction. During a podcast appearance, the 27-year-old opened up about relapsing while filming the show’s spin-off, “Beyond the Villa.”
Austin Shepard is no stranger to the spotlight, as he was also the center of attention during the most recent season of “Love Island” after netizens called him out for reportedly sharing offensive content.
Austin Shepard Relapsed While Filming The ‘Love Island’ Spin-Off
Peacock | Ben Symons
Shepard revealed that he was 11 days sober on the “Previously On” podcast by TMZ. The “Love Island” alum shared that before reaching that point, he relapsed by using opioids while filming season 2 of the show’s spin-off, “Beyond the Villa.”
“No one knew,” he shared. “I’m a pretty manipulative, functional addict until it becomes so unmanageable—like how it got. But I can bullsh-t for a while.”
Shepard likened himself to a “salesman,” adding that he tends to “wave and pretend everything is OK.”
Austin Shepard Revealed His Co-Stars Noticed A Change In His Behavior
Elsewhere, during his appearance on the podcast, Shepard showed love to his co-stars, who noticed the reality star’s demeanor had changed while filming “Beyond the Villa.”
“Charlie started reaching out in the last month and was like, ‘Bro what’s going on?’” he said. “I just got pretty real with him, just telling him pretty much everything. He’s been wishing me love, giving me love. Same with TJ, Iris. They’ve been sending me love.”
Shepard also got real about the difficulties he’s faced while managing his sobriety.
“I know how this road goes,” he said. “I’ve had plenty of friends who are not here today that have sadly passed from it and it’s either death or a long life of misery.”
“That was my moment of clarity, finally,” he said.
Austin Shepard Sought Professional Help
For Shepard, gaining clarity was just one of the things that helped him deal with his struggle. He also admitted to seeking professional help at another point during his journey.
“There was one night where I was sitting there, I was just going crazy,” he said. “I hadn’t slept in four nights. I was very sick. Just puking. It was horrible. I was like, ‘I need to go somewhere, medically.’”
The facility Shepard checked into gave him excellent care, he said, adding that the support of his family members has helped strengthen him.
Shepard Faced Backlash After Sharing Controversial Posts
You absolutely cannot predict what he’s about to say. #LoveIslandUSA pic.twitter.com/R7HV3qQ8UO
— Nick (@aftersunfilm) July 4, 2025
According to a previous report from The Blast, Shepard faced backlash from the “Love Island” viewers in the summer of 2025 after he reportedly shared offensive content on his social media channels.
“I want to take a moment to address my recent repost that has caused offense to some of you,” he wrote online. “As you all know, I have a very dry sense of humor, and I genuinely didn’t think before sharing that content.”
Shepard had been under fire throughout his stay in the “Love Island” villa, as eagle-eyed social media sleuths called the reality star out for his previous posts before joining the cast.
“I recognize that my choice of content did not resonate well with everyone, and for that, I sincerely apologize,” Shepard shared. “I’m committed to learning from this experience and to being more mindful in the future. Thank you for your understanding and for holding me accountable.”
Days before his apology, Shepard made headlines after responding to a social media user who branded the Michigan alum a “racist bigot.”
“I’m going to give this attention only one time because this is, like, crazy,” Shepard said in response. “Are you f-cking dumb? Like, honestly, are you dumb? Do you not think?”
Another ‘Love Island’ Star Walks Back Controversial Post
Peacock | Ben Symons
Shepard wasn’t the only “Love Island” star in hot water. A previous report from The Blast states that Yulissa Escobar, who also appeared in season 7 of the competition series, was booted from the show during the second episode after old clips of her using a racial slur resurfaced.
Online, Escobar attempted to own up to her mistakes, sharing that she previously used the N-word while “not fully understanding the weight, history, or pain behind it.”
Escobar went on to say that while she meant no harm, she began to understand how serious her words were after being dismissed from the series.
“I’ve changed a lot since then, not just in how I speak, but in how I show up, how I carry myself, and how I honor the experiences of others,” Escobar continued. “Growth means recognizing when you were wrong, even if it’s uncomfortable, and choosing to move forward with humility and accountability.”
