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Former “Bachelorette” Michelle Young and fiancee Nayte Olukoya confirm they’ve split just weeks after denying rumors of a split.
“For those who have supported Nayte and I, including Bachelor Nation, I know I speak for both of us when I say that being in a public relationship hasn’t been easy,” Young, 29, wrote on Friday in her Instagram story.
“I’m struggling to say that Nayte and I will be going our separate ways, but I stand by him because I know the heaviness that’s present in both of our hearts, as this relationship was very real for us.”
The school teacher-turned-reality star then reached out directly to her now-ex.
“For you, Nayte, you quickly became my best friend and the love I have for you is incredibly strong. I will never stop wanting to see you succeed,” she wrote.
“I will always recognize and cherish the adventures, support and growth that Nayte and this experience have brought me. At the same time, I am deeply hurt and will need time and space to process this heartbreak.”
For his part, Olukoya told fans that he realized Young is not the person he “wants to spend the rest of the day with [my] To live with.”
He also stated that he hopes to manage their breakup privately — despite the fact that many fans of the “Bachelor” franchise have been investing in their relationship for months.
“Michelle and I will advance separately. Hearts are heavy, emotions are running high and we’re dealing with it the best we can,” he wrote. “Michelle and I are individuals by nature and when it comes to this split, we will continue to be.”
Still, he noted that he and Young are grateful for the public support they’ve received during their short-lived journey as a couple.
“To the public who have supported these two total strangers on your TV screen, we appreciate you so much,” Olukoya wrote, though he suggested fans should think twice before expressing negative opinions about the couple’s decision, himself to separate.
“Our relationship may have evolved publicly and we know this news will bring a lot of mixed reactions, but please remember this is real,” he wrote.
“The emotions are real. The heartbreak is real. And that we are real. We are people going through a breakup and we all know breakups are difficult. So we ask that you grant us our privacy so that we can heal our hearts in the privacy of our own lives.”
The duo quit just weeks after Young ended speculation of a split. Rumors swirled online when social media sleuths noticed her 3.2 carat engagement ring from Neil Lane was missing.
“OK, I don’t usually come here and bring up things like this, but because I’ve gotten SO many messages about it… There’s a video of me on a rooftop this weekend, and I’m not wearing my engagement ring,” Young said in a series of Instagram Story videos.
“For the person who’s paying close enough attention to capture that moment,” she continued, “you must also be paying close enough attention to see one of my good friends remove my engagement ring briefly to try it on, and then put it back on attaches to my finger.”
The co-host of the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast and her last rose recipient got engaged during the season 18 finale of Bachelorette in December 2021.
