Kaitlyn Bristowe may be taking a social media break, but that didn’t stop her from answering burning questions about her split from Jason Tartick when she was stopped at LAX.
“I’m OK. It’s tough times, I mean, the easiest part is that we respect each other and love each other,” the 38-year-old former Bachelorette told a photographer in a video obtained by TMZ on Tuesday, August 8.
When asked whether the exes “grew out of love,” Bristowe replied: “I don’t even know. … Honestly, it was both of our [decision to end things]. We keep saying, too, that the door isn’t permanently closed — that’s why there’s handles on it. We don’t know what’s going on.”
Bristowe went on to explain that she and Tartick, 34, are “sharing” their dogs, joking that if it was up to her, she’d have full custody of Ramen and Pinot.
“We’re coparenting the dogs. You could even see us walking the dogs together on a Sunday. We’re still good,” she concluded.
Bristowe and Tartick announced on Sunday, August 6, that they were “ending” their engagement more than two years after he popped the question.
“We haven’t gotten that far to talk about [what will happen to the] ring,” Bristowe told TMZ. “But, I mean, he gave that to me. It’s up to him.”
After the photographer declared that Tartick didn’t seem like “the type of guy” to ask for the diamond back, Bristowe agreed, adding, “He’s not that type of guy, he’s a great guy. You never know.”
Bristowe went on to say that she wasn’t ready to date again.
“I’m open to just love in general,” she replied when asked about being bisexual. “But not anytime soon.”
Bristowe subsequently confirmed that she was in California to make a guest appearance on The Golden Bachelor, which is currently in production on its first season with senior lead Gerry Turner.
“I’m here in L.A., we’re filming something for The Golden Bachelor, so it should be fun,” she said.
Both Bristowe and Tartick have released podcast episodes after calling it quits, with the “Trading Secrets” host getting emotional as he powered through an introduction to his interview with Blake Horstmann and Giannina Gibelli.
“This is my second attempt at this. [My] first attempt … it did not go well, I’ll tell you that much,” he said. “Kaitlyn and I have shared our relationship news that we are ending our engagement tonight. So the intro will be short, it will be sweet. … I’m not going to provide news at this time given what’s happening in my life. It’s been a little bit of a challenge today and tonight. When I’m prepared and feel ready to talk through how these things also impact my life, what’s next for me, I will share those.”
The “Off the Vine” podcast host, for her part, opened up about how social media speculation was giving her anxiety before the pair announced their split.
“I’ve gotten to this point where something like going through a breakup — it’s a loss, it’s grief, you’re going through, like, the thought of losing somebody, all of these big emotions — and now these people are on the other end of this phone expecting you to share it with them while you’re going through it,” Bristowe said. “Then they think, ‘You’re hiding something from us, why wouldn’t you be honest? I thought you were an open book, I thought you were this and just tell us already that you guys are broken up.’ And I’m holding so much responsibility because I see them as this community that I’ve built for myself.”
