Ariana Madix Cries While Talking About Tough 'Love Island' Season

Ariana Madix has a lot of love in her heart for the participants of "Love Island" ... and, this ordeal of a season has really broken her down.

The host of the popular reality TV show opened up about the troubles on the hit show during an interview on "Love Island USA: Aftersun" Saturday ... an 'LI' companion talk show.

Madix calls it a "tough season" -- an understatement, if we're being honest -- and, she's clearly trying to blink back tears at first ... before she lets the emotion out.

She says it's affected people still on the island, islanders who have been eliminated ... and, even herself. Ariana dabs tears from her eyes and says she wants all the contestants to know how much she loves each and every one of them.

Madix jokingly calls herself "The Glam Reaper" -- sometimes she's gotta axe people from the show, after all.

Of course, the casting trouble this season is well-documented ... because two of the contestants -- Cierra Ortega and Yulissa Escobar -- got kicked off the island for previous racist commentary.

We spoke with a casting director -- ITV's Joy Tenenberg -- who put the blame squarely on production for allowing multiple contestants with checkered pasts on the show.