Kaitlyn Bristowe Details Katie's Meltdown, Says Greg Quit Over His 'Ego'
As one of the only people with a front row seat for season 17 of The Bachelorette, Kaitlyn Bristowe is giving more insight into Katie Thurston and Greg Grippo’s messy split.
Katie Thurston and Greg Grippo’s Messy Split: Everything We Know
“I actually didn’t really fully know how that all went down until I watched it back. I was just hearing Katie’s side of the story and she was actually really, like, self-deprecating about it,” the 36-year-old cohost said on the “Click Bait” podcast on Thursday, August 5. “I feel like she wasn’t angry at the time. She wasn’t like, ‘Oh, Greg gaslighted me.’ … She was kind of, like, ‘I don’t know what happened.’ … I felt bad for Greg until I watched it back.”
During Monday’s episode of the ABC series, Greg, 28, accused Katie, 30, of dismissing his feelings after he opened up about the loss of his father.
“Could Katie have, like, been a little more reactive to him saying these things? Of course. But the way he responded back to that I thought was bulls—t,” Kaitlyn continued, noting she was “confused” in the moment as she comforted Katie in the bathroom.
Bachelor Nation Weighs In on Katie and Greg's Split
Greg also accused the former banking manager of not being real after she tried to reassure him about her feelings by promising him a rose.
“There are lists, there are roses, there are placements,” Kaitlyn said on Thursday, defending Katie’s terminology. “She gave him so much reassurance the whole show.”
The New Jersey native ultimately quit the show and Katie threatened to do the same.
After “Click Bait” cohost Joe Amabile noted, “Katie could have definitely handled it better, [but] if it’s real love, I just don’t think it was enough to call it quits off of that,” Kaitlyn agreed.
“That’s The Bachelorette. She can’t really fully reciprocate it if she can’t validate him until the end,” the season 11 lead said. “And I think he just wanted to quit before he got fired. I think his ego was so hurt in that moment that he was like, ‘I’m gonna just flip this s—t and get out of here.’”
Everything Katie Thurston Has Said About How Her Season of ‘The Bachelorette’ Ends
When asked whether Katie was seriously considering walking away from the show — and her final two, Justin Glaze and Blake Moynes — Kaitlyn confirmed she wanted to quit.
“I think she was, like, really calling it quits. … That’s why it’s so cool that I was there. She really was like, ‘I feel so alone. Nobody can understand this, I’m going home. I don’t even care what that means for my contract. I don’t care what that means for the other two guys,’” Kaitlyn recalled. “In that moment, [she] was so done. And to hear someone else be, like, ‘I had that exact moment. I wanted to quit. I told everybody I was quitting. They didn’t show it, but I said all of those things that you were saying. And trust me when you get to the end, even if you don’t pick anyone, even if you pick someone, you’re gonna be, like, “Whoa, that happened for a reason.” Just battle through this. This is the worst part. You’re almost done.’”
The three-hour season 17 finale of The Bachelorette airs on ABC Monday, August 9, at 8 p.m.
