‘Bachelorette’ stars Michelle Young, Nayte Olukoya call off engagement

The bloom is off the rose.

Michelle Young and Nayte Olukoya, who became engaged in the season 18 finale of “The Bachelorette,” announced that they have ended their engagement, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Olukoya proposed to Young during the season finale, which aired Dec. 21, 2021, on ABC, according to the entertainment news outlet.

‘Bachelorette’ Stars Michelle Young and Nayte Olukoya End Engagement https://t.co/TyWhU9lYfR
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) June 18, 2022

Young had appeared on season 25 of “The Bachelor” but did not win, People reported. She got a second chance when she was cast as the lead in “The Bachelorette” and chose Olukoya from 30 suitors.

Young and Olukoya also made history as the first-ever Black couple to get engaged on the show, according to People. The franchise gave the couple $200,000 for a down payment on their first home, according to the magazine.

Both stars posted news about the breakup on their social media accounts.

“I’m struggling to say that Nayte and I will be going our separate ways but I stand with him in knowing the heaviness that is present in both our hearts as this relationship has been very real for us,” Young, 29, posted to her Instagram Stories account. “To you, Nayte, you quickly became my best friend and the love I have for you is incredibly strong. I will never stop wanting to see you succeed.”

Young added that she was “deeply hurting and will need time and space to work through this heartbreak.”

“When we both started this journey, we were looking for our Soulmates. Our forever. Our best friends,” Olukoya wrote. “However, as we grow and learn, we also realize that sometimes somebody that you hold dear to your heart isn’t somebody that you’re meant to spend the rest of your life with.

“Hearts are heavy, emotions are high, and we are dealing with this the best way we can. We genuinely fell in love, and we genuinely became each other’s best friends. Michelle and I will always cheer each other on, but moving forward, we will be cheering from a distance.”