‘Love Is Blind’ Season 5: Uche and Lydia’s Complicated Past, Explained
Love Is Blind Season 5 is bringing the drama. Things got messy early on in the Netflix reality series when it came out that two cast members – Uche and Lydia – had dated prior to entering the pods. Now, we’re learning more about the pair’s relationship, and it’s even crazier than we realized.
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Love Is Blind Season 5 Episodes 5-7.]
Two ‘Love Is Blind’ cast members had a history together
Love Is Blind hinges on a straightforward – albeit weird – premise. Groups of single men and women get to know each other, sight unseen, by dating in the show’s custom-designed pods. But what happens if some of the participants have actually met before the show? We found out in Love Is Blind’s fifth season when Uche and Lydia, who’d previously dated, reconnected in the pods.
When producers discovered Uche and Lydia’s past connection, they wanted to pull the pair from the experiment, according to Variety. But, after some pleading from Uche and Lydia – and, we have to imagine, the realization that such as twist could lead to some juicy TV moments – they agreed to let them continue on the show. However, both were asked to wait to disclose their history together to the other participants.
Uche went on to develop a relationship with Aaliyah, while Lydia clicked with Milton. So far, so good. But as Aaliyah and Uche got more serious, he decided to fess up and tell her about his past with Lydia. That’s when things took a dramatic turn.
Lydia’s past with Uche was a problem for Aaliyah
During their short time as roommates, Lydia and Aaliyah had done some serious bonding. So, when Aaliyah learned her new bestie had actually dated the man she was considering marrying, she was understandably concerned.
Lydia insisted that she and Uche were done. But the big revelation about their past put some comments she’d made earlier in a whole new light. Early on, Aaliyah and Uche had a major fight over the fact that she’d cheated on a past partner, Lydia was right there to support Aaliyah – by hinting that she knew exactly what she was going through.
“He needs to start blaming others and start taking accountability for his actions,” Lydia told a tearful Aaliyah. “You’re better. You’re so much better. And I know this because I see myself in you .. he might have a blind spot, ‘cause you’re me. You are so much like me. You and I are so similar.”
Once the truth came out, Lydia claimed she’d only withheld the truth about her past with Uche from Aaliyah because she didn’t want to meddle in their new relationship. But at the same time, she was at pains to point out how similar she and Aaliyah were. She also bragged about how well she knew Uche, sharing details about his dog, car, and house with an increasingly unenthusiastic Aaliyah. Then came the final (and fatal) bombshell. She and Uche had reconnected and slept together just three months ago.
Aaliyah was clearly over it. Faced with serious doubts about her future with Uche (and concerns that he hadn’t been honest about his relationship with Lydia), she left the experiment just before Uche was about to propose.
Did Lydia have ulterior motives for going on ‘Love Is Blind’?
Once Uche learned that Aaliyah had quit Love Is Blind, he was confused and hurt. He was also upset that Aaliyah had ghosted him. During tearful phone call with Uche, Aaliyah admitted that Lydia’s comments had gotten under her skin. She also wondered if Lydia had discovered that Uche had tried out for Love Is Blind during their recent hookup.
“How do you not know that she was at your place earlier this year that she didn’t see an email and apply to be on this damn show?” she asked.
Could Lydia really have managed to get cast on Love Is Blind as part of an elaborate ploy to win Uche back? At first, Uche shot down Aaliyah’s suggestion that something shady was going on. But when he and Aaliyah met up in person to talk things out, he shared some details that suggested it was possible.
According to Uche’s version of events, Lydia lost his trust early on when he discovered she’d invaded his privacy and then lied about it. He broke up with her, but she wasn’t willing to let things go, and they ended up in an on-again, off-again relationship. Uche was put off by Lydia’s behavior, which included stalking his Instagram connections. However, he kept seeing her for a while until abruptly cutting off contact. Though he said things were over between them, he acknowledged that Lydia might still be “obsessed” with him. He also admitted he should have warned Aaliyah about her.
Uche confronts Lydia in ‘Love Is Blind’ Season 5 Episode 7
Uche felt Lydia’s meddling had doomed relationship with Aaliyah, and he wasn’t about to let that go. Now suspecting “that Lydia came into the experiment with the wrong intentions,” he decided to confront his ex at the reunion BBQ.
Unfortunately, a conversation that began with Uche’s recollection of his and Lydia’s initial spark soon descended into an ugly fight. The exes rehashed the first big argument they’d had as a couple, with Uche insisting that Lydia had gone through his things, then lied about it. He also accused her of spying on his friends on social media.
Lydia denied all of Uche’s allegations. According to her, Uche had been unfaithful when they were dating. (If that’s true, it puts her earlier comments to Aaliyah about him needing to take “accountability” in a slightly different light.) Eventually, she stormed out.
“He knows what happened really between us,” she said in an interview segment. “He knows.”
So, is Lydia a spurned ex who’s determined to get in the way of Uche’s future happiness? Or is Uche a shady character who’s been slandering Lydia to distract from his own sketchy past? We’re not sure, but whatever the truth is, their chaotic behavior makes for compelling TV.
Love Is Blind Season 5 Episodes 1-7 are now streaming on Netflix. New episodes release weekly through Oct. 13.
Source: Variety
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