Just a day after rumours started swirling that Sophie Monk and Stu Laundy had split six months on from finding love on The Bachelorette, the 38-year-old has confirmed the breakup.
Sharing the news on Instagram, the singer, actress and model said she felt she owed the Australian public an explanation after they were so supportive of her journey to finding true love on national television.
“I don’t know how to explain this because it’s an unusual circumstance to be in…” Monk shared with her 473,000 Instagram followers.
“But because I entered this relationship so publicly, I know I owe an answer to Australia about my personal life.
"I went into this experience looking to settle down and start a family. I gave it the best shot I could and my intentions were everything I said I was looking for, but unfortunately it just didn't work out."
She said she and Stu, a 44-year-old father-of-four, are just "very different people". The former Bachelorette also denied they faced any pressure to stay together.
"There were no contracts or pressure to stay together whatsoever from anyone and we remain friends," she wrote.
LISTEN: Do we have the right to speculate about Sophie Monk and Stu Laundy's relationship, or are they entitled to their privacy?
"The positive in this whole experience is; it taught me to jump out of my comfort zone in order to find real love and made me much stronger.
"I sincerely want to apologise to anyone who invested so much love and support and I hope I haven't disappointed anyone."
Yesterday a 'close friend' of the couple told Daily Mail Australia the duo's relationship had "naturally run its course".
"They're really good friends. But it’s not going to go any further," the source said.
"Travel and distance became factors, but there is no bad blood between them. They gave it a good six months."
The pair faced almost instant criticism after the 2017 Bachelorette finale aired, with many believing the pair's awkward body language and lack of public appearances meant they had already split.
But after spending a romantic Christmas and New Year period together and sharing endless snaps on social media, fans believed the couple were well on their way to lasting love.
After her heartbreaking admission, fans were quick to offer messages of support for the former Bardot singer.
"Be true to you! It's all you can do! Stay strong," one fan wrote, while another added: "There's no need for explanation... the heart wants the heart wants."
"We love you, just as you are. It's your life. And we are lucky you share it with us," another comment reads.
Mia Freedman speaks to Sophie Monk about The Bachelorette, Bardot, and how she goes about handling fame on the No Filter podcast:
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