Importance Score: 42 / 100 🔵
Reality television personality Kaitlyn Bristowe has opened up on her podcast, promising to share her perspective on past relationships, though opting to keep her current romantic entanglements private for now.
“There’s only one topic off-limits, and that’s my dating life at this moment,” Bristowe declared at the beginning of the Thursday, April 3, installment of her “Off the Vine” podcast.
Observant fans have speculated that Bristowe may be currently seeing The Bachelorette season 16 contestant Zac Clark. She was previously in a four-year relationship with The Bachelorette season 14’s Jason Tartick, which concluded in August 2023. During Thursday’s podcast, Bristowe made several claims regarding Tartick, including an accusation that he appropriated her “dream baby name,” Teddy, for his new canine companion.
“This will likely be the last instance I address him publicly, as I intentionally avoided doing so for an extended period, which felt positive. However, recent events have reignited certain feelings, and I believe it’s acceptable to discuss them now,” Bristowe stated.
Before her relationship with Tartick, Bristowe was engaged to Shawn Booth, who was declared the winner of her season, season 11, of The Bachelorette.
Continue reading for the key revelations Bristowe shared about Booth and Tartick on her podcast:
Reflections on Past Relationships: Kaitlyn Bristowe on ‘Off the Vine’ Podcast
‘Harmful Cycle’ With Shawn Booth
Bristowe characterized her relationship with Booth as involving a “harmful cycle,” indicating they “met each other at their most vulnerable points.”
“Instead of providing reassurance or support, or attempting to understand each other, we would react from a place of heightened emotion,” Bristowe explained. “I believe we were two individuals deeply in love, yet unable to move past certain issues.”
Expressing Well-Wishes for Booth
Bristowe revealed a desire for amicable relations with Booth, who welcomed a child with Audrey “Dre” Joseph in 2023, years after their separation. “I can genuinely say I am happy for Shawn now. I genuinely wish him well. I would even like to be friends,” she expressed. “My previous anger towards him has subsided, replaced by compassion. I’ve processed a range of emotions regarding him, and now I feel inclined to offer him a hug, to be friends, and acknowledge the hurts we inflicted upon each other during a particular phase in our lives. But I am genuinely happy for him and his current situation.”
Bristowe reflected on feeling “he was prolonging the relationship to benefit his gym venture.” She added, “I felt exploited. I didn’t feel cherished. I felt he recognized our partnership was more advantageous than being alone. This is my personal perspective, not necessarily his intent.”
Feelings of Exploitation in Tartick Relationship
Bristowe also asserted feeling “exploited” during her relationship with Tartick.
“Despite my mortgage being fully paid, I found myself having to request bill splitting from him at the start of each month. This made me feel undervalued. We had comparable income levels,” Bristowe claimed. “I felt like he was capitalizing on my success.”
Bristowe then suggested uncertainty about Tartick’s genuine affection for her.
“And I’m not definitively saying he lacked love for me, as I believe he did—though I’m uncertain,” she admitted. “However, it felt like leveraging my established platform, riding my coattails to achieve his aspirations. I believe his deep distress following the breakup stemmed from an identity crisis without me. And I believe he is still actively working on self-discovery independent of a dog, a partner, or external attachments. I would strongly encourage him to find solitude and truly discover his authentic self.”
Podcast Concerns and Relationship ‘Focus’
Bristowe acknowledged her role in the relationship’s issues, admitting she “attempted to restrain” Tartick from podcasting during their time together.
“Similar to my concerns with Shawn opening a gym, I recognized it as a potential breaking point, as our relationship was already fragile. With Jason, I foresaw podcasting causing conflict, as it’s my primary passion. You were aware upon moving into my home that it was something I preferred you avoid. He proceeded regardless. It was consistently about his agenda, what would facilitate his growth—financially, professionally, and personally—and I was made to feel unreasonable for hindering his progress. In reality, I accurately predicted the outcome. He started utilizing email lists, clients, and building his platform upon my existing foundation. This fostered resentment.”
She continued, “Regardless of my explanations, his loyal followers will likely always dislike me, while my supporters will understand my viewpoint…My behavior towards him deteriorated towards the end due to anger and feelings of betrayal. It felt as though he lost sight of the essence of a relationship.”
Addressing Dog Co-Parenting Speculation
Bristowe clarified the situation regarding dog co-parenting with Tartick.
“I never prohibited him from seeing the dogs. I communicated my unwillingness to continue dog co-parenting. I consistently assured him he could visit them on weekends. My reluctance was regarding the dogs constantly transitioning between homes,” Bristowe clarified, noting the dogs’ “severe anxiety” and deep comfort at their primary residence. “They were disoriented; Ramen would feign death, resistant to going anywhere.”
Bristowe explained that both she and Tartick consulted with others and concluded that remaining in one stable home was “best” for the dogs.
“Never did I say, ‘You cannot see the dogs.’ Subsequently, he mentioned on a podcast, ‘I’m not permitted to see the dogs.’ And his cohost alluded to it coinciding with my new relationship. He confirmed, ‘Yes,’” Bristowe recounted, referencing Tartick’s former partner Kat Stickler. “I would have never prevented him from seeing the dogs.”
Bristowe claimed Tartick had not requested to see the dogs. “And when I communicated my decision to discontinue dog co-parenting, it was two months into our post-breakup interactions, during which he was already in another relationship. While the public may not have been aware, I was informed directly by him. And we were attempting the co-parenting arrangement.”
Tartick and Stickler ultimately ended their brief relationship in October 2024, after less than a year.
Disappointment Over Baby Name ‘Teddy’
Tartick has since adopted a dog and revealed its name as Teddy, which Bristowe alleges was her long-held aspiration for a baby name.
“It’s not indicative of lingering feelings for him. I’m completely over the relationship. I initiated the breakup. I no longer desired to be in that dynamic. It felt disingenuous, like everything was performative for social media engagement. However, naming his dog the baby name I’ve cherished for a decade,” Bristowe stated. “I mentioned wanting to name my future child Teddy the day I met him.”
She elaborated, “I may sound resentful, but it’s more about feeling disrespected. I’m experiencing intense negative emotions because for so long I was positioned as irrational, and now I realize, ‘I wasn’t mistaken.’ I now see what others are recognizing. Our paths are fundamentally incompatible. My life aspirations diverge from his, making our partnership unsustainable. My feelings aren’t solely anger; they are a blend of disgust and disappointment.”
Clarifying Financial Matters
Bristowe also seemed to subtly criticize Tartick’s previous statements about being unaware of her credit history during their relationship. “One final point, I possessed an excellent credit score,” Bristowe stated. “A great credit score, understood? You moved into my residence.”
Tartick had mentioned in his 2024 book, *Talk Money to Me: The 8 Essential Financial Questions to Discuss With Your Partner*, that their financial situations were not openly discussed prior to cohabitation. He wrote, “Credit score: I was unaware of hers; she of mine.”