'Bachelorette' Season 17 Alums Katie Thurston and John Hersey Have Split
Updated June 21 2022, 5:05 p.m. ET
A breakup can also be a new beginning, and this is especially true for former Bachelorette Katie Thurston.
She made her television debut in Season 25 of The Bachelor, where she went head to head with Michelle Young and 35 other women with hopes of winning Matt James’ heart.
In the end, Katie was eliminated in Week 6, and Matt gave his final rose to Rachael Kirkconnell. But Katie's quest for love hadn’t come to an end just yet; she was the leading lady on Season 17 of The Bachelorette, where she found love with Blake Moynes.
Blake popped the question in the season finale, but the couple eventually called it quits just a few months later. Following their split, Katie began dating Season 17 contestant John Hersey. Are they still together? Let's find out.
Katie Thurston and John Hersey confirmed they are no longer together.
After less than a year of dating, Katie and John announced they had broken up. On June 20, 2022, both parties addressed their breakup on their respective Instagram Stories, with Katie simply writing, "Statement: No, we aren't together."
As for John, he was candid and provided fans with more insight regarding their breakup.
"I love being able to share special moments with you all — the funny ones. The happy ones. The outrageous, embarrassing, and heartfelt ones," John wrote. "But I don't know if it will ever get easier to share the sad ones."
"As Katie stated earlier, we are no longer dating. The decision was not made lightly, and it was obviously not an easy one to make," John continued. He concluded by thanking Bachelor Nation, stating, "I appreciate every one of you that has supported us throughout this journey. We could not (and would not) be here without you."
The couple sparked romance rumors in late October 2021; a month later, People confirmed Katie and John were taking their friendship to another level by exploring a "romantic connection."
"It's known Katie and John became close friends post-season," a rep for Katie told the outlet. "John has been there for her through all the major changes in her life, and they are excited to explore this newly found romantic connection."