Bachelorette Stars Michelle And Nayte Have Sad News To Share
Going their separate ways. Taking to Instagram on June 17, former Bachelorette Michelle Young shared a sad announcement regarding her and fiancé Nayte Olukoya's engagement.
After being the runner-up in Matt James' season of "The Bachelor," Young became the Season 18 Bachelorette in 2021 following Katie Thurston's season. During Young's finale on the show, Young ended up giving her final rose to Olukoya over her runner-up Brandon Jones. On the "After The Final Rose" episode, when Young and Olukoya were able to publicly showcase their relationship, the two were over the moon in love. Posting to Instagram after the episode, Young gushed about her new romance calling her new fiancé her "SoulNayte" and explaining how he is the reason she smiles. On his Instagram, Olukoya posted a similar sentiment following the season ending saying Young is all he has "ever wanted."
But sadly, it seems the honeymoon phase has worn off for these two following their season finale in December. While Young recently shut down rumors that she and Olukoya had broken up after she was spotted without her engagement ring, per E! News, those rumors are sadly now true. Taking to social media, Young and Olukoya are now letting fans in on why they are going their separate ways.
Michelle Young says 'the public eye' got to her and Nayte Olukoya
Posting to Instagram Stories, former Bachelorette Michelle Young explained that having her "relationship in the public eye" was a part of the reason she and Nayte Olukoya have called it quits.
"I'm struggling to say that Nayte and I will be going our separate ways but I stand with him in knowing the heaviness that is present in both of our hearts as this relationship has been very real for us," Young wrote on her Instagram Story (via Us Weekly). "I'm deeply hurting and will need time and space to work through this heartbreak," she explained. In addition to the statement of their relationship ending, Young also wrote a message to her now former fiancé, saying he was her "best friend" and that her love for him remains. Young added that she will always "appreciate" the experience of "The Bachelorette" and it bringing Olukoya to her.
Echoing a similar sentiment on his Instagram Story (via Us Weekly), Olukoya wrote that with time, "We also realize that sometimes somebody that you hold dear to your heart isn't somebody that you're meant to spend the rest of your life with." Young and Olukoya aren't the only "Bachelorette" cast members to experience heartbreak in recent memory, as Zac Clark and Tayshia Adams also ended their engagement in November. Riley Christian and Maurissa Gunn of "Bachelor in Paradise" also called it quits in January.