Why Love Island USA's Valerie Says She's Glad Her Time With Tyler Came To An End - Exclusive
There's reality TV shows, and then there's "Love Island." Yes, we're going as far as putting it in its own category, because the international phenomenon is just getting started. Now with iterations in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and more, "Love Island" is redefining the reality dating genre. You don't need world-class trips or just one leading man or woman or gimmicks that draw viewers in — put romantic hopefuls in a villa, let connections form where they may, and bring in new bombshell additions, and you have television gold. "Love Island" may seem like a simple concept, but the savage moments, relatable digs, and intertwined emotions make it ideal watching material, and Season 4 of "Love Island" U.S. is only just getting started.
While the OG cast members got to know each other and couple up in a gorgeous villa in Santa Barbara, California, 23-year-old Valerie Bragg was ready to find her person. Telling us in an exclusive interview that she was looking to become a power couple with a man who genuinely was interested in her, Bragg shared that "Love Island" seemed like a great opportunity to find that special someone. But after her connection with Jesse Bray was turned on its head, Bragg was left to explore other options, turning to romantic hopeful Tyler Radziszewski. It was not meant to be, and Bragg became the first person to be voted off the island. When she sat down with us, the Costa Rican native shared why Radziszewski wasn't the one and why she's glad that her time came to a close.
She was ready to end her Love Island journey
By the time Valerie Bragg and Tyler Radziszewski found themselves on a picnic date, the 23-year-old beauty was ready to call it a day. Jesse Bray had made it clear that he'd be pursuing a connection with Deb Chubb, despite not telling Bragg his intentions — if he had told her to pursue other men at the villa as he was pursuing other women, she would've done so, Bragg told us.
"I was definitely interested in Tyler, but I was also not mad about not having that," Bragg told us after the fact. "After the situation with Jesse and stuff, I was like, 'Okay, I came, I saw what it is here, and it wasn't anything for me.' A part of me was already mentally disconnected."
Calling Radziszewski "cute" and "definitely smart," Bragg further reflected on the connection, saying that she didn't think that the "mellow" OT student was the one for her.
"He probably wouldn't have been a good match for me anyways. [But] given the circumstances, I have to pursue whatever's in there," Bragg told us.
Valerie didn't want to lead someone on for the sake of staying on the island
Sometimes it seems as though there's a tactic to these reality dating shows — just stay connected with someone for long enough, and you could get access to new faces that arrive on the scene. But for Valerie Bragg, she wasn't about that life: She wanted to put her authentic self out there, and that meant not leading someone on for the sake of waiting for other competitors.
"[With] a lot of people, one of the things that they say is, 'You should have gone for this person, and you probably would have stayed longer.' But I wasn't trying to stay longer. I was trying to find a connection," Bragg told us. "[Watching] that situation ... if anything, makes me feel proud, because I feel like I made the same decisions that I would have made in the outside world, and maybe even encouraged some women, too."
"Love Island" USA Season 4 drops new episodes Tuesdays through Sundays on NBC's Peacock, with recap episodes releasing on Saturdays.