Exes Jess Vestal and Harry Jowsey weren’t a perfect match in the long run, and she is spilling new details on how his Dancing With the Stars run affected the end of their romance.
“We got back from Perfect Match, [and] he started that [DWTS] right away,” Jess, 30, said on the Wednesday, July 10, episode of the “Viall Files” podcast of why she called off their rekindled fling. “It was him making commitments to me that he was gonna lighten the load with that ‘cause I was understanding of our relationship having to be a secret for a while, but I was like, ‘It’s kind of excruciating watching the world think [you are with someone else].’ This was crazy.”
Jess and Harry, 27, met while filming Perfect Match season 2, which aired on Netflix last month. They briefly split during the finale over rumors that he kissed costar Melinda Melrose, which he initially denied. After filming wrapped, Jess and Harry rekindled their connection. At the same time, he signed up for DWTS and was partnered with Rylee Arnold. Harry and Rylee, 19, sparked romance rumors after they were spotted holding hands at an October 2023 Tate McRae concert, three weeks into the DWTS season.
“We broke up that morning,” Jess said of the viral photos. “I was so mad, I was sad, but I was like, ‘Whatever.’ And [their] TikToks [together] bothered me because I just made a TikTok.”
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Jess and Harry were hiding their relationship since Perfect Match had yet to drop on Netflix. She was supportive of his DWTS stint, even making plans to watch a live show.
“We had a lot of open conversations about it [and] him just keeping it respectful. Like, the intimate piece of there needing to be chemistry with your partner, I was fine with,” Jess said on Wednesday’s episode. “I’m such a huge fan of that show, [and] I couldn’t have been more excited. I was very supportive and the whole closeness piece didn’t bother me at all.”
According to Jess, when the rumors began, Harry allegedly told her that he “didn’t want people to talk about [the rumors] either” — but didn’t shut it down or confirm their relationship.
“I get, for viewership, it worked out really well for them. But at the same time, if you want to do that, it’s not respectful to me,” she said. “Even if no one besides you and I know we’re together.”
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Jess further revealed on Wednesday that the pair discussed her meeting Rylee, which never ended up happening.
“That would have alleviated [a lot of concern],” Jess recalled. “I mean, I don’t live across the street. I live across the country [in Charlotte, North Carolina], so it’s not like I could just pop into practice. It just didn’t work out [to meet].”
Jess still does not know if Rylee was aware of Harry’s relationship status or plans for the Love Is Blind alum to watch a rehearsal or live taping of the show.
“That is not on his partner at all,” Jess said. “She might not have even known if she was in a relationship [and] she was doing her job. It was an incredible first season for both of them.”
Harry and Rylee have frequently denied ever being romantically involved while filming DWTS.
