Paige DeSorbo is shutting down assumptions that Bravo made her wait before confirming her split from Craig Conover.
During the Monday, December 30, episode of her and Hannah Berner‘s “The Giggly Squad” podcast, DeSorbo, 32, elaborated on the timing of her and Conover’s decision to part ways.
“It’s a very sad thing. And just to say this — not that I even have to — but in terms of people saying, ‘Oh, Paige was told to wait until Southern Charm came out or Summer House came out.’ No one can tell me what to do,” DeSorbo noted. “The network has power, but they don’t have that much power.”
DeSorbo denied the speculation that Bravo was in any way involved with her announcement, adding, “That is not a real thing. Rumors of us breaking up months ago was also not a real thing.”
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The Summer House star recalled various claims that were made over the course of her relationship with Conover, 35, which began in 2021.
“Our first rumor was that we were in a PR relationship. So we’ve been with these rumors our whole relationship and we didn’t really give it a second thought,” DeSorbo admitted. “But I didn’t want [my listeners] to think I was leaving them out of the loop or something. Not at all.”
Referencing speculation from earlier this year about her status with Conover, DeSorbo said, , “Any time those rumors were happening, we were still together. When we did break up, obviously, I didn’t run to social media and I didn’t run to the podcast. We both gave each other a little time to deal with it on our own in private with our family and friends.”
After three years of dating, DeSorbo announced on Monday that she and Conover “decided to no longer be together.”
“I love him, I think he loves me. I think we will remain friends. No one did anything. It wasn’t a bad thing,” she explained. “I think we both were just being really mature and saying what we want and what we didn’t want, and I think that’s extremely powerful to be able to voice how you’re feeling in real time and what you want for your future.”
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DeSorbo said she hoped to maintain a friendship with Conover, insisting that “he is one of the best people” she’s ever met.
“I have so much love and respect for Craig. … I will remain the biggest fan for him and want the best for him, and he truly will get the best, because he is the best,” she continued. “But, with that said, I think it is the right decision for both of us.”
Bravo fans have been rooting for DeSorbo and Conover since they filmed season 1 of Winter House in 2021. The pair casually dated, which viewers saw on season 6 of Summer House, before making their relationship Instagram official later that year.
The twosome often defended not being in a rush with milestone moments throughout their unconventional relationship. “We actually love long-distance,” she exclusively told Us Weekly in October 2021. “I feel like we’re more present with each other when we are together.”
Conover, meanwhile, pointed to other Bravo couples as an example of why he didn’t mind taking things slow.
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“Honestly, there’s a lot of couples on Bravo and I’m not trying to throw shade. But there’s a lot of couples on Bravo that we are not trying to end up like,” he said during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in September 2023. “We want it to work. Like, sustainable growth. Two years is still not that long. But we are in a really good place.”
Conover even shut down assumptions that he and DeSorbo had split earlier this month, telling E! News, “I don’t know where that came from, because we’re together, like, every week. So, no, Paige and I are not broken up. We’re still together. I would have given you a reason for that rumor to start, then I think I would have to defend it. But I don’t think me and Paige did anything.”
The reality star also denied using the rumors as a ploy to increase ratings on their respective shows.
“Why would we do that?!” he added. “Remember back in high school when people would gossip? Like, I got most dramatic in high school. I’m a huge gossiper, but just don’t take everything so seriously.”
