How he really feels. Blake Moynes shared his thoughts on how the finale of Katie Thurston‘s Bachelorette season played out, and there’s one thing he wishes happened differently: the Greg Grippo drama.
“I do think that the whole Greg thing did take away from the love story unfortunately,” the Canada native, 31, told Insider on Tuesday, August 24. “It sucks that it was such a focal point for someone who didn’t actually end up with her.”
Blake proposed to Katie, 30, during the August 9 season finale, but much of the night’s After the Final Rose special was devoted to discussion of the Washington native’s split from Greg, 28. The account manager self-eliminated during the August 2 episode after hometowns, claiming that he didn’t think Thurston reciprocated his feelings.
During ATFR, however, the reality star accused her former suitor of faking his feelings for the camera. “I am very happy, absolutely, but that doesn’t take away the anger that I had watching this back and seeing the way you treated me — using me to get the experience, the exposure. Dare I say the ‘acting’ practice at my expense,” she said. “I don’t know if I actually know who Greg is. You’re a liar. You did not love me.”
Because so much of the three-hour finale focused on the aftermath of the split, some fans felt that Blake and Katie’s romance didn’t get the screen time it deserved, while others speculated that the former bank marketing manager still had feelings for her ex.
“Unfortunately, it just kind of is what it is for people who think it should’ve been Greg,” the wildlife manager told Insider, offering his take on speculation that his relationship with Katie won’t last. “I guess you gotta wait and see. But it’s not about that, right? Who cares about the viewers? We know what we have and that’s kind of what we’re riding on, especially coming out of this and finally being able to live a real life now.”
Since the show ended, the couple have been taking it slow, partly because of the difficulties involved with international travel. “I don’t think people fully understand what it’s like to date someone from another country and the rules behind that and the visas behind that,” Katie said in an Instagram Story posted on Wednesday, August 25. “I think right now Blake can only be here for 60 days before having to go back to Canada, so we really do have a lot we have to look into — and we just haven’t yet — before we can plan really anything else.”
Their wedding plans are also on hold at the moment for the same reason. Katie recently shared a screenshot of a text exchange with her sister, who asked when they’re going to tie the knot. “Not soon at all,” she replied. “He’s Canadian. … So we have a lot to work through first.”
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