Bachelor in Paradise fan favorites Serene Russell and Brandon Jones revealed in May that they’d ended their engagement amid cheating allegations that rocked Bachelor Nation. Now five months later, the exes are both opening up about what really caused their breakup — and they’re not on the same page.
The drama resurfaced when Serene appeared on the Oct. 19 episode of Kaitlyn Bristowe’s Off the Vine podcast. Attributing the split to several factors, she shared that seeing a video of Brandon dancing with another woman at an Austin, Texas, bar on May 5 is what caused “irreparable damage” that there was “no coming back from.” They announced their split on Instagram three days later.
“We both had things we could have done better in the relationship,” Serene told Kaitlyn. “It was something that we were both very much still in, and we had gone to therapy, which was really cool. We tried to give ourselves the tools and set ourselves up for success, but there were just ultimately just so many [issues].”
How Serene Found Out
According to Serene, she discovered the video of Brandon, which Reality Steve first shared publicly, via “a DM from a stranger.” Though she initially missed the message, the woman contacted another Bachelor Nation star, who brought it to her attention.
Craig Sjodin/Disney General Entertainment Content/Getty Images
“There was part of me that was like, ‘OK, I really love this person’ and I struggled with it for a really long time,” she explained. Though she said Brandon, who proposed during the BiP Season 8 finale, which aired in November 2022, apologized to her after the incident, it was something that was “hard to understand” still.
“I spent so much time ruminating and playing things back in my head. Like, does this make sense? Did I not see things?” Serene added. “I think the most painful thing is that we were still very much committed to each other ... I never felt that depressed in my life. It was hard to deal with.”
Brandon Speaks His Truth
After taking time to “reflect and process” his emotions, Brandon decided to “clear the air and respond with [his] truth” in a two-part statement via his Instagram stories on Oct. 21. According to Brandon, he and Serene — whom he didn’t mention by name — had already broken up when he traveled to Texas but had “both decided to hold off on sharing the news” publicly.
“Where I have taken fault and responsibility, is a conversation we shared the day before I left speaking on doing long distance,” he wrote.
Brandon added that the video surfaced “during this time of private separation,” and even though he thought his interaction was “harmless,” he acknowledged it upset Serene. “After speaking with her one on one and navigating our new normal, she felt that I had cheated and wanted to make this news known,” he continued. “For the record, in the early days of our official breakup, I shared one dance with a woman... Nothing else, just a single dance before leaving with my friends.”
Adding that he “took ownership” of hurting Serene at the time, Brandon thought they’d “made amends” and agreed to put it behind them months ago. “I was surprised to learn, very publicly, that there are still lingering issues between us that need to be resolved,” he posted. “Out of profound respect and love for the time we shared together, I want to move forward peacefully, ultimately hoping to preserve our memories and former relationship.”
Now that he’s “shared the story through [his] lens,” Brandon is “hopeful for a fresh start.” It remains to be seen, however, whether or not Serene will respond to his version of events.
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