Former ‘Bachelorette’ Contestant John Hersey Denies Rumors That Katie Thurston Cheated on Blake Moynes
After former Bachelorette Katie Thurston and contestant John Hersey announced their new romance, some fans didn’t take the news too well. Hersey found himself on the receiving end of some intense backlash.
After Thurston and Black Moynes called off their engagement, she started dating Hersey shortly after. Following their split, many fans accused the former Bachelorette of cheating on her fiancé. Now, Hersey is setting the record straight in a heartfelt post on social media.
How did John Hersey and Katie Thurston meet?
In The Bachelorette Season 17, Katie Thurston met fellow contestant John Hersey. The suitor tried to win Katie’s heart, but she sent him home during the second week. Although the pair didn’t have a romantic connection, she and Hersey remained close friends. In April 2021, Thurston and Blake Moynes announced their engagement after filming the season finale. In the end, Thurston and her fiancé called off their engagement in October 2021. Shortly after, she pursued a romantic relationship with her former contestant, Hersey.
John shuts down rumors that Katie cheated on Blake Moynes
On Nov. 29, former Bachelorette contestant John Hersey wrote a letter on Reddit to the Bachelor Nation, addressing the cheating rumors with him and Thurston. He reassured fans that he did not pursue a romantic relationship after her separation from ex-fiancé Blake Moynes.
“I am absolutely in favor of everybody having their own opinion, voicing that opinion, and hell, arguing and yelling about that opinion,” he wrote. “What hurts me, however, is watching so many of you build assumptions and throw around accusations based on very limited knowledge of a situation.”
Hersey went on to say that he and Thurston “developed an incredible and deep friendship” and that their bond was not intimate in any way.
“The boundaries of our friendship with respect to her ongoing relationship never even required addressing because it was never a thought in our minds that we would ever be anything more. You guys, she was engaged. It is apparent that many of you misjudge how both her and I view that commitment,” he continued. “Neither Katie nor I would ever cheat, push someone to cheat, or be involved in cheating. It is not in our nature. It is not acceptable.”
Hersey ended his note by saying: “I appreciate you all taking time from your day to read this message. It is not meant to be delivered from atop a soapbox; it is an honest conversation from me to you. I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season, and I can’t wait to be sent more ridiculous SpongeBob memes and ‘John who?’ comments. Keep being real, much love 🙏🏼”
Blake Moynes responds to Thurston and Hersey’s new romance
In the latest episode of the Talking It Out With Bachelor Nation podcast, Blake Moynes shared that he didn’t suspect any “physical cheating” between Thurston and Hersey. But, there was clearly a strong connection for the relationship to “transition as quickly as it did.”
“[John] had more into it or was at least pursuing it or something or wanted something to be hanging out with her all the time,” he explained. “I put my full trust in there’s nothing more than literally just a friendship. I think it just was, but it allowed them to form something, at least emotionally, where they could see something with each other that made it so easy for them to transition when this ended.”
The Bachelorette airs on ABC.
