“Love Is Blind” Season 7 star Ashley Adionser announced that she and husband Tyler Francis have broken up.
The Netflix reality stars met and got engaged during Season 7 of the popular reality dating series. They pair were fan-favorites until viewers, and Adionser seemingly, learned in Episode 9 that Francis had fathered three children. As the two resolved their issues in the following episodes and eventually tied the knot in the season finale, Francis’ paternity controversy unfolded on social media, with the mother of his children sharing her side of the story.
During the reunion, which aired Oct. 30, Adionser and Francis said they were still happily together and enjoying married life despite the obstacle. But on Monday, Jan. 21, Adionser confirmed in a statement to TODAY.com that she and Francis recently split.
“After much reflection, I want to share that Tyler and I have been separated for several weeks and have now made the difficult decision to end our marriage,” she said in a statement. “While I had hoped for mutual understanding and transparency in our relationship, it has become clear that our paths are no longer aligned, making it impossible for me to continue in this marriage.”
She continued, “This was not a decision I made lightly, but one I know is necessary for my own growth and peace. While this chapter is ending, I will always hold respect for the time and love we shared. I kindly ask for privacy during this deeply personal time as I focus on healing and building a new future. Thank you for your understanding and support.”
On the show, Adionser and Francis had an emotional conversation after it was revealed that he had fathered three children. In Episode 10, Francis explained to Adionser, “I had a very close friend. Her and her wife wanted to have a baby. And they couldn’t afford a sperm donor. I thought that was God telling me, you know, ‘Help someone else.’ And it felt good.”
When she asked if he knew what the children looked like, he replied, “Hmm, I don’t think so.”
Before the finale and reunion aired, Bri Thomas, the mother of Francis’ children, disputed some of his claims in a series of Instagram videos that have since been deleted.
She claimed that she was “co-parenting” the three children with Francis before he left for filming and his relationship with them changed after he returned. She also said she and Francis were involved in legal proceedings regarding custody.
TODAY.com obtained a Baltimore court case docket involving a January 2024 custody case between Thomas and Francis that was originally filed in 2021. TODAY.com contacted Thomas and Francis for comments at the time.
During the Season 7 reunion, Adionser and Francis said they were still together after nearly a year of marriage. While addressing his past, he said, “Those kids, that family, they did not sign up for this.”
He added that he “voluntarily stepped in and helped” and that is why photos circulated on social media of him with the three children.
“I do want to let people know that Ashley knows all of this,” Francis shared. “I’m good, we’re good. I’m not gonna keep harping on it.”
Adionser chimed in and said that it was “insulting” to her intelligence that fans suggested Francis “blindsided” her on the show with the news that he had three children.
She explained that he did not want to speak about the situation on camera, but she felt differently. “I just didn’t feel like it would be an authentic experience, or that I could continue the experience if we didn’t,” Adionser said.
“(I said) ‘I do’ to all of it,” she told hosts Nick and Vanessa Lachey. “I was aware and I took on what I wanted to.”
Before the season aired, the former couple spoke to TODAY.com in separate interviews and gushed about their love story.
“It was just a feeling that I’ve never felt before in my life. From day one, it was Ashley. It was a feeling that I’ve constantly kept feeling with her. It was just safe. It was warm. It felt like the most love I’ve ever experienced,” Francis said.
Adionser acknowledged that she was skeptical during the process but felt that Francis was the right person for her.
“I think that I was just willing to take a risk and to lead with feelings over logic this time, which is not something I naturally do,” she told TODAY.com “And honestly, it’s weird, because when you date in the pods, it doesn’t feel like a crush. You feel deeply and madly in love in an insane amount of time.”