Maria Georgas would like to set the record straight.
The former Bachelor suitor, who was a contestant on Joey Graziadei’s season of the ABC franchise, found herself in the news this week after Jenn Tran wrapped up her run as The Bachelorette.
In heart-shattering fashion.
Maria Georgas as a contestant on The Bachelor. (ABC)
On Tuesday night’s After the Final Rose special, we learned that Tran proposed to Devin Strader many months ago — only for the engagement to be called off after Strader decided he made the wrong decision.
“He was making bold proclamations of love and then suddenly the next day he was like, nothing and he denied ever being in love,” Tran explained to host Jesse Palmer in air, adding of her former fiance:
“All the promises he had made to me, all of the love that he had wanted to give to me wasn’t there anymore.”
During this same episode, Tran said Strider went clubbing in New York City after asking for space. And that he went ahead and followed Georgas on Instagram.
Maria Georgas was nearly named the 21st Bachelorette in show history. (ABC)
“Just got back from a peaceful trip,” Georgas wrote in a September 4 Instagram Story in response to this drama. “This is not something I wanted to come home to but I have something to say and I won’t be holding back this time.”
A day later, Maria addressed everything.
“Last night was hard to watch and my heart goes out to Jenn,” Maria said on TikTok of Strader allegedly breaking up with Tran in a 15-minute phone call, something Devin has denied. “I truly think that a lot of those conversations should have been off camera.”
Continued Georgas, who actually turned down an offer to be The Bachelorette:
“I understand Jen having to speak up about it. Say your piece, girlfriend, I respect it. I just think that without the full context, it leads people to believe a different narrative.”
Devin Strader in a promotional photo for ABC. (Disney / Ricky Middlesworth)
As for the notorious Devin Strader Instagram follow?
“Guys, I don’t pay attention to who follows me and who doesn’t. I have no clue about that. Until people brought it to my attention, I didn’t know. And by the time I found out, he had unfollowed,” Maria said.
She then made her relationship (or lackthereof) with Strader as clear as she could, stating on social media:
“Let me clear the air on something. I’ve never met Devin before. I never went clubbing with him. I never followed back. I have nothing to do with the ending of the relationship.”
Devin and Jenn Tran got engaged on The Bachelorette finale. But will not be getting married. (ABC)
Yes, Georgas acknowledged, she went out one night with a bunch of people that included Jeremy Simon, another suitor on Tran’s season.
She and Tran aren’t close at this point, but that doesn’t mean there’s animosity between her and the heartbroken reality star.
“Enough with the pitting women against each other,” Maria said. “The last thing I want to do is have this weird narrative where Jenn and I are against each other. Just because we’ve separated our ways and we’re no longer friends, doesn’t mean we hate each other.
“Doesn’t mean that if someone’s going to disrespect her in my face that I’m going to sit here and stand for it. Because I’m not.”
Jenn Tran and Devin seemed to happy on The Bachelorette… until it all fell apart. (ABC)
For his part, Strader has argued with Tran tried to break up with him and that he did want to end the romance in person.
But he’s also taken responsibility for acting in an unfair and inappropriate manner.
“When we left the show, I had a lot of doubts and regretfully and sadly I suppressed those feelings, and I did come clean to you about that,” he told Tran, later adding:
“I failed you… I was regretfully late on letting you know.”
Maria Georgas Posts Cryptic Message in Wake of Bachelorette Breakup Drama was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.