Another bites the dust.
Former “Bachelor” Clayton Echard has called it quits with his season 26 winner Susie Evans.
Evans, 29, was the first to announce their split with a lengthy Instagram statement written on their behalf and uploaded on Friday. Clayton has not yet shared the news on his own profile.
“It is with an incredibly heavy heart that we wanted to share that we have decided to go our separate ways,” the videographer captioned a photo of the former couple laughing together.
“Anyone who has ever loved knows that this was a painful decision to make and not taken lightly.”
Evans didn’t go into detail about what led to the breakup, but noted that social media is just a “highlight coil” and that the couple has been through “a significant amount of pain” over the past year.
“We know there is no healthy relationship without the struggle, but we have realized we were unprepared for the outside forces that hindered our ability to heal not only as individuals but also as a couple,” she added.
“We are both focused on continuing to work on ourselves so that we can be the best version of ourselves.”
Echard, 29, was criticized for how he handled his relationships with his last three contestants: Evans, Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia.
After the Fantasy Suites, the reality star confessed to the women that he had told them all that he was in love with them and had also slept with everyone.
In the end, however, he chose Evans and decided that he loved her “most”.
The dramatic ending saw Windey and Recchia become the co-leads for the most recent season of “The Bachelorette.”
Evans also noted in the breakup announcement that this decision was not taken lightly.
“This is not an easy time for both of us, but we support each other and hope that the other will find happiness and healing,” she wrote on their behalf.
“While Claysie is gone, we hope our communities can support us individually as we move forward with love and respect for each other.”
The statement concluded: “Thank you to everyone who has supported our relationship. It means so much more than you will ever know. ️”
In August, there were signs that the relationship was on its last legs.
Echard revealed on Dear Media’s “Not Skinny but Not Fat” podcast that he and Evans decided to pursue a long-distance relationship after living together in Virginia Beach, Virginia for a few months. She would move to Los Angeles and he to Arizona.
“We’re like, ‘We don’t know if it’s going to be a month’ [relationship] from here or if it becomes lifelong, but there’s no pressure,” he told host Amanda Hirsch at the time. “Let’s just love each other and be grateful.”
Evans, for her part, revealed in March that she would say no to a proposal from her then-boyfriend.
We’ve talked about this, and I’ve told Clayton, if you’re surprised… [with an engagement], I will say no,” the reality star previously said on Nick Viall’s podcast “The Viall Files.” “This is not a nice surprise.”