His ex said he promised to marry her hours before entering the villa — TJ Palma from Love Island USA
TJ Palma is a real estate entrepreneur, content creator, TV personality and former college baseball player who appeared as a bombshell on season 7 of Love Island USA. He entered the villa on Day 14 and left the island on Day 24 after being dumped. Palma later returned to the franchise alongside his girlfriend, Iris Kendall, for the spinoff Love Island: Beyond the Villa.
Source: Getty Images
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Key takeaways
- Palma is a successful entrepreneur with a thriving Airbnb business in Tampa, Florida.
- Palma played Division II baseball for the University of Tampa, winning a national championship with the Spartans in 2024.
- Palma later appeared on the spin-off series Love Island: Beyond the Villa and as a guest on The Viall Files podcast.
- The reality star is in a relationship with Iris Kendall, whom he met on Love Island USA.
TJ Palma's profile summary
Full name | Thomas John “TJ” Palma |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 16 December 2001 |
Age | 24 years old (as of June 2026) |
Zodiac sign | Sagittarius |
Place of birth | Pleasantville, New York, United States |
Current residence | Tampa, Florida, United States |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | Mixed |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height in inches | 6' |
Height in centimetres | 183 |
Weight in pounds | 185 |
Weight in kilograms | 84 |
Hair colour | Brown |
Eye colour | Brown |
Father | Not publicly known |
Mother | Lorraine Daniele Palma |
Siblings | 2 |
Relationship status | Dating |
Girlfriend | Iris Kendall |
Education | University of Tampa |
Profession | Entrepreneur, TV personality, former college baseball player |
Social media |
Who is TJ Palma from Love Island USA?
The reality TV personality was born on 16 December 2001 in Pleasantville, New York, United States. He is 24 years old as of 2026, and his zodiac sign is Sagittarius.
TJ Palma’s mother is Lorraine Daniele Palma, a licensed aesthetician who owns a skincare and spa business. She frequently posts about him on social media, cheering him on during his 2024 college national championship and celebrating his appearance on Love Island. TJ Palma’s father stays mostly out of the public spotlight.
The reality star grew up alongside two older brothers: Steven and Anthony, in suburban Westchester County.
Source: Original
TJ Palma’s educational background
TJ attended Iona Preparatory School, a well-known all-boys Catholic school located in New Rochelle, New York. After graduating from high school, he attended the University of Tampa, where he studied Entrepreneurship.
What does TJ Palma do for a living?
TJ Palma is an entrepreneur, real estate agent, and reality TV personality. He first gained widespread public recognition as a contestant on Season 7 of the reality show Love Island USA. TJ entered the villa as a bombshell on Day 14.
During his time in the villa, TJ formed a close bond with Iris Kendall and officially coupled up around Day 20. However, on Day 24, TJ was dumped from the island following a public vote that placed him in the bottom three.
Source: Getty Images
Following his time on Love Island USA, Palma built a large social media following and established himself as a successful content creator and influencer. He shares lifestyle, travel, fitness, and entrepreneurship content. He has partnered with major brands, including Garnier and Hellmann’s Spicy Mayo.
Palma previously worked in real estate and hospitality, managing several Airbnb properties in Florida. He also advises property owners on setting up and growing short-term rental businesses and has worked as a licensed real estate agent in Tampa, Florida.
Palma has also expanded into angel investing, using his platform and business network to invest in early-stage startups. His portfolio includes stakes in companies in the consumer beverage and health-tech sectors.
Before his business and entertainment career, TJ was a collegiate athlete. He played as an outfielder for the University of Tampa Spartans baseball team, winning a Division II national championship with them in 2024.
Source: Getty Images
Is TJ Palma in a relationship now?
TJ Palma is in a relationship with Iris Kendall. The Love Island USA Season 7 stars first met and became a couple on the reality show. Even though they were separated when TJ was eliminated from the villa, they reconnected after the show ended and rebuilt their relationship outside the villa. They officially resumed dating in late 2025 after a romantic proposal in Malibu.
Since then, TJ and Iris have maintained a strong long-distance relationship. TJ resides in Tampa, Florida, while Iris lives in Los Angeles, California. Speaking about their long-distance relationship, TJ told Us Weekly in June 2026:
We’re doing great long distance, two opposite sides of the country, but we make it work, and we’ve been just climbing uphill together. We’re going through this new life together. We’re best friends, we’re lovers. It’s just a relationship I’ve always dreamt of and wanted, and it’s surreal to have that really come to life.
He added:
She’s coming here. I’m going there, or we’re taking a vacation. We make it work, and it’s just been amazing.
Source: Getty Images
The couple has also been open about planning their future together, including discussions about moving in.
We honestly haven’t come to a decision on where, when, or what type of thing. She’s always expressed that she was OK moving out of L.A. I’ve always expressed that I’m OK moving out of Tampa...We’re still trying to figure it out, but I think we’re doing a pretty decent job, and it’s pretty early. We definitely can see ourselves moving in together soon
In addition to their relationship, they have worked on brand partnerships together and recently appeared in a Hellmann’s Spicy Mayo summer commercial campaign.
Source: Getty Images
Before finding fame on Love Island USA, TJ Palma was in a serious relationship with his ex-girlfriend Jessica Musraca. In July 2025, while Season 7 of Love Island USA was airing, Jessica made headlines by exposing text messages from TJ during an appearance on Gossip with Grace: Unfiltered.
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She claimed that the night before TJ left to film the show, he texted her, sent her a song titled You're The Love Of My Life, and told her,
I'm gonna marry you, and I love you.
He allegedly texted her again the next morning to apologise before going completely off the grid for production.
FAQs
- Who is TJ Palma from Love Island USA? TJ Palma is a reality television star, digital content creator, and real estate entrepreneur who appeared as a contestant on Season 7 of Love Island USA.
- Where was TJ Palma from Love Island born? He was born in Pleasantville, New York, United States.
- What is TJ Palma’s age? The reality star is 24 years old as of 2026. He was born on 16 December 2001.
- What is TJ Palma's ethnicity? TJ Palma is reportedly of Caucasian heritage with Hispanic-American roots.
- What is TJ Palmas' full name? His full name is Thomas John Palma.
- What is TJ Palma's job? He works as a full-time content creator and runs a successful short-term real estate rental business.
- Is Iris with TJ? The couple is still together as of 2026.
- Did Iris want to leave with TJ? Iris wanted to leave the villa with him when he was voted off, but she ultimately decided to stay and finish her time on the show.
- Did Iris end up with TJ? The pair reconnected immediately after the show filmed and officially became a couple in September 2025.
- What is TJ Palma's height? TJ Palma stands 6 feet or 183 centimetres tall.
TJ Palma continues to grow his presence as a content creator and influencer while building his business ventures and maintaining public interest following his time on Love Island USA.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
