

Serene Russell and Brandon Jones. Getty Photos (2)
Bachelor in Paradise alum Serene Russell opened up about her cut up from ex-fiancé Brandon Jones for the primary time — and confirmed the rumors that he cheated on her earlier than their breakup.
Serene, 28, mentioned that she discovered about Brandon’s alleged infidelity by way of an Instagram direct message. A stranger tried contacting her first however then reached out to a different Bachelor Nation member when Serene didn’t reply. That individual then contacted Serene, who then learn the unique individual’s message.
“After that, it was like, ‘There’s irreparable injury,’” Serene recalled throughout the Thursday, October 19, episode of Kaitlyn Bristowe’s “Off the Vine” podcast. “There was simply no coming again.”
Followers started speculating that Brandon, 29, cheated on Serene earlier this 12 months when a video circulated that appeared to indicate him getting cozy with one other lady. The video was allegedly filmed days earlier than Serene and Brandon publicly introduced their cut up.
Serene went on to say that Brandon apologized to her, however the pair usually are not at the moment in touch. “We each had issues we might have carried out higher within the relationship,” she added. “It was one thing that we had been each very a lot nonetheless in, and we had gone to remedy, which was actually cool. … It’s not this easy factor, like, ‘Oh, it simply didn’t work.’ We tried to offer ourselves the instruments and set ourselves up for fulfillment, however there have been simply in the end so many issues.”

Brandon Jones and Serene Russell. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Photos
The previous couple obtained engaged throughout the season 8 finale of Bachelor in Paradise, which aired in November 2022. Lower than one 12 months later, the twosome introduced their breakup.
“After many months, at present we now have in the end determined to finish our engagement,” the duo wrote in a joint assertion shared by way of Instagram in Might. “We have now tried to work privately on our relationship which has been extremely difficult within the public eye. This has been immensely onerous to just accept and painful, as there’s numerous love between the 2 of us. We’re deeply hurting and might solely ask that there be no hate. One of the best path for us at the moment is to attempt to transfer ahead and heal from this as people.”
Bristowe, 38, requested Russell why the tone of the breakup assertion was so amicable when the pair’s cut up was induced partly by infidelity.
“I used to be simply in shock, I believe,” Russell replied earlier than getting emotional. “I didn’t know what the long run held. I used to be in shock for a very very long time. … I’ve by no means felt that depressed in my life. It was onerous to cope with.”
Regardless of the heartbreak of the cut up, Russell is joyful that she’s been capable of do work on herself since then. “Probably the most painful half was the lack of belief that I had in myself,” she defined. “That’s what I’ve been doing essentially the most work on, is just not beating myself up.”
Season 9 of Bachelor in Paradise airs on ABC Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET.