Greg Grippo’s Reaction to Katie Thurston & Blake Moynes' Breakup Is Thoughtful

Former Bachelorette Katie Thurston and her third-place runner-up Greg Grippo didn’t exactly end on the best of terms — and according to Grippo, they haven’t gotten any closer since that icy “After the Final Rose” sit-down. But in light of Thurston’s recent split with winner Blake Moynes, Grippo has some supportive words for his ex. “I mean, honestly, my heart goes out to her for whatever happened. I have no idea. We haven’t spoken, honestly,” he told Us Weekly on Nov. 13. “I just wish the best for her. I know it’s probably pretty difficult, what happened.”

Grippo’s comments come after he emphasized that he really did fall in love with Thurston while filming The Bachelorette. “I didn’t think that this was going to happen between [Katie] and I. I didn’t think that I was going to go on and absolutely fall in love with the person,” he said during a Nov. 17 interview on the Kait Coaching podcast. “I think the odds of that are very slim to none. I think only a select few are able to feel and really build something with the person that’s there.”

For most of Thurston’s season, Grippo seemed like the obvious frontrunner. It was after his hometown date that things started to go downhill: He told Thurston he loved her, and later argued that she acted cold and dismissive in response. Thurston pleaded with Grippo to stay, and he told her he deserved better and abruptly quit. The tearful, emotional breakup culminated in a confrontational reunion in the post-finale special, in which Thurston accused Grippo of gaslighting her, not knowing what love is, and even using the show to further his acting career.

Thurston previously said she has no regrets about that last televised conversation with Grippo, but she’s also moved on. “‘After the Final Rose’ is about kind of speaking your own truth and getting it out there for that final closure. And really, that’s what Greg and I both were able to do,” she told Us after the finale aired. “We’re ready to just close that door forever and move forward.”

Grippo, meanwhile, expressed regret about his actions during their tense breakup. “I came off like an a**, came off like a petulant child at times,” he said during a Viall Files interview in August 2021. “I regret it because, you know, at the end of the day, she didn’t deserve that.”

Thurston left the show engaged to Moynes, but on Oct. 25, she announced on Instagram that they’d decided they were not compatible as life partners. After everything they’ve been through, a reunion between her and Grippo doesn’t seem likely, but right now, it sounds like she’s enjoying the single life — or, at least, prioritizing her own happiness. And I, for one, love this for her.