If there was a golden period between Kathryn Dennis and ex-boyfriend Chleb Ravenell, it certainly wasn’t caught on camera. Southern Charm Season 8 only just premiered, and the rifts that caused the couple to split in November 2021 are evident. Gosh, Kathryn was already in conflict with Chleb during the first episode.
But such is the fallout of making your relationship reality TV fodder. Issues get magnified. And putting Kathryn into this group of Charleston, South Carolina friends is like dropping a match into a powder keg.
Southern Charm fans are well acquainted with the mother-of-two. But publications were interested to hear what Chleb had to say about being on reality TV and how it affected his relationship with Kathryn. During an interview with Us Weekly, Chleb acknowledged that the exposure “sped up” their split, though things “started off good.”
Chleb explained that it was Kathryn’s friendships, and her lack of transparency and accountability with friends, that caused the breakup. “She wasn’t telling me what she was going through,” he said.
Chleb explained, “She was telling me she was going through like court case and stuff where her kids and custody battles [were involved] …She wasn’t telling me about her relationships [with the cast].”
Indeed, Chleb appeared totally clueless as to how Kathryn would react to conflict within the group, though he was gracious and tried to mediate the situation between Kathryn and cast mate Venita Aspen during the season premier.
Chleb continued, “I was just coming in blind, helping her. And then it kind of just all fell on me. And when I would express my feelings to her, [her reaction] was more like, ‘Oh, you’re a grown-ass man. You should be able to handle it.'”
Chleb had a positive outlook and thought filming together would be a fun diversion. He explained, “I was like, maybe this will bring us together. Because I’ve never been on a show before. And she’s telling me, ‘It’s gonna break us up.’ I was like, ‘Nah, nah, we’re gonna grow closer.’ [But] it broke us apart.”
RELATED: Kathryn Dennis Officially Confirms Split From Chleb Ravenell
So what was the catalyst? We’ve seen a lot of tension in two episodes already. Chleb said his “breaking point” was feeling unappreciated by Kathryn. “I didn’t feel like whatever I had to do mattered to much to her because of what all she was going through,” he explained. “She didn’t have the head space to really think about what the hell I was going through, and I can’t really fault her for that, but I mean … it just came to a point where we just had to just break it off.”
Apparently what went down at Kathryn’s 30th birthday party was just an appetizer. An amuse bouche, if you were attending a Heather Dubrow dinner party. Chleb revealed, “Every time we would film, it’d just be an argument. …It was getting petty. So we were just like, ‘You know what? We should just break this off.'”
RELATED: Kathryn Dennis Moves In With Boyfriend Chleb Ravenell After Losing Unsupervised Custody Of Children
And the break up seems just as gracious as Chleb himself. The former couple no longer communicate, but Chleb has only kind words for Kathryn. “It’s for the best, but I am sad because I’ve been through a lot with her,” he reflected. “So I always wish her the best. I’m always gonna love her, just from a distance.” He added well-wishes for Kensie and Saint as well.
Us Weekly then asked Chleb if he would consider a return to reality TV. He revealed he had one condition. “I would, if I was married,” Chleb said. “I feel like [with] reality shows and the producers, if you’re not married, then any little thing they’ll try to [break you up]. But if you’re married then … you have such a strong bond. I don’t think the producers or any of that would actually come after that.”
TELL US- WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO CHLEB AND KATHRYN’S INTERACTIONS DURING SEASON 8? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HIS EXPLANATION ABOUT THEIR BREAKUP? DO YOU THINK CHLEB SHOULD RETURN TO REALITY TV?
[Photo Credit: Stephanie Diani/Bravo]
