Why did Katie Thurston and Blake Moynes split after engagement on 'The Bachelorette'?
Following their whirlwind romance on Season 17 of ‘The Bachelorette’, Katie Thurston and Blake Moynes have reportedly called it quits. The former couple’s engagement aired on the ABC dating series’ Season 17 finale in August. Moynes joined the season in episode four and Thurston said that their connection was instant. Prior to the show, "we had talked very casually in DMs," Thurston told People magazine. "I thought he was hot, but I didn't think much of it. When I met him in person, something about his energy shifted my mind completely. I knew this was going to be a strong relationship."
Taking to Instagram, both Thurston and Moynes shared the same statement separately, announcing their mutual breakup. It said, “It is with mutual love and respect that we have decided to go our separate ways.”
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The statement further said, “We are so grateful for the moments we shared together and the entire journey that has unfolded this year, but we ultimately have concluded that we are not compatible as life partners, and it is the most caring choice for both of us to move forward independently.”
Finally, they said, “We ask for kindness and privacy as we both navigate this transition. Both of us will forever want the best for one another and ask you to please support us in our decision.”
Just days ago, Us Weekly reported that Thurston and Moynes have been working on navigating long-distance. While Thurston moved to San Diego following her Bachelorette journey, Moynes, 31, was still based in Canada and his job brought him all over the world, including a recent trip to Africa. “We’re figuring it out,” Thurston said on October 22. “We don’t know. This is very new to us still. I’m just focusing on myself, he’s focusing on him, and if we work doing that, great.”
But a source told Page Six that the geographical distance between Thurston and Moynes became “too difficult to navigate.” They said, “It was exhausting to maintain a long-distance relationship. Still, at one point, Katie seemed all in with Blake and was super hopeful that he would one day become her husband. But all the attention from the show put this unspoken pressure on the relationship that they weren’t prepared for.”
Eventually, the source said, “Katie and Blake’s discussions about marriage became less and less and they had to admit to each that it wasn’t going to work out. But there’s no bad blood and they really hope to remain friends.”
In fact, earlier, Thurston got candid on her Instagram Story about the challenges the couple was facing while maintaining a long-distance relationship. "I don't think people fully understand what it's like to date someone from another country and the rules behind that and the visas behind that," Thurston said in a video on her Story. "I think right now, Blake can only be here for 60 days before having to go back to Canada, so we really do have a lot we have to look into -- and we just haven't yet -- before we can plan really anything else."
After their engagement aired, Thurston told People magazine that she had "no regrets" about her season, with respect to dealing with the exits of two of her finalists, Greg Grippo and Michael Allio. "What we went through has really strengthened our relationship," she said. "The struggles were worth it."