‘The Bachelorette’: Greg Grippo Admits He Was ‘Way Too Harsh’ on Katie Thurston
The Bachelorette star Greg Grippo admitted he was “way too harsh” on Katie Thurston during their final moments as a couple before he abruptly walked out on both the show and their relationship. This explosive ending to their romance left fans of The Bachelorette scratching their heads over a personality switch that no one expected after Grippo was considered one of the nicest guys of the series’ 17th season.
Greg Grippo and Katie Thurston’s romance gone wrong
Grippo and Thurston had an instant connection from the moment he arrived at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya in New Mexico. Their bond was so strong that he received the season’s first impression rose, a clear indicator to Bachelor Nation that he might make it to the finals. Grippo also was awarded the first one-on-one date of the season, where he and Thurston bonded over many different topics, including the death of their fathers.
Grippo and Thurston found a mutual connection throughout the season in their shared grief and determination to move on. Grippo introduced Thurston to some of the best the East Coast offered during the show’s hometowns, including the beach, boardwalk snacks, and a tandem bike ride.
Upon meeting Grippo’s family, Thurston watched the way he interacted with his extended clan. It was at this point that things between the couple began to unravel. Grippo believed Thurston was not evident in her intentions toward the future of their relationship. A disagreement led to a full-blown fight which caused Grippo to walk out on the show leaving Thurston brokenhearted.
Greg Grippo faced Katie Thurston on After the Final Rose
The now-former couple faced one another on The Bachelorette: After the Final Rose, where Thurston, now four months beyond their devastating breakup, had some clarity on the situation.
She accused Grippo of “acting” throughout their season. She said, “For that Hometown to go as perfectly as it did until the very end, and for you to do a 180, I feel like you were looking for the perfect opportunity to escape,” Katie added. “Because you were never ready for an engagement.” She also accused him of gaslighting her reported The Daily Beast.
Grippo responded by stating he wished he could go back and change how he communicated his feelings. He also said he was “scared” by her terminology and felt like she was “playing the Bachelorette role” instead of just being herself.
Greg Grippo admitted being too ‘harsh’ on Katie Thurston
Grippo spoke to former Bachelor star Nick Viall for his podcast The Viall Files and admitted he could have handled his breakup with Thurston in a better way. He admitted he had reflected on his actions and had done some “soul searching.” He concluded he was ashamed of his behavior during those final moments with Thurston on The Bachelorette.
“I was obviously way too harsh on her in those moments in that room, but it was just the way that we were talking to each other in those moments,” Grippo claimed.
Greg Grippo said he was ‘immature’ in his actions
Looking back on the experience, Grippo reflected on his reactions to the situation to Viall and admitted that he was “immature” in his actions.
“I wasn’t communicating well at all. My head was wrapped up in it not being [about] the show, which [was] what we were in. It’s really hard to pinpoint it for me. I just felt like I couldn’t read her in that moment, and it just didn’t feel like we were on the same page,” Grippo clarified to Viall.
“It was very immature for me, and I never want people to try to justify how I acted because you can’t normalize that behavior, especially talking to a woman like that,” he said. “It was hard to watch back, and I was pretty ashamed of it all. And again, it’s humbling to realize I need to step away from this and know that I can do so much better.”
