Southern Charm's Ashley Jacobs and Thomas Ravenel Finally Broke Up
Frankly, my fellow Southern Charm fans, I never thought this day would come: Ashley Jacobs and Thomas Ravenel—arguably one of the most controversial and hated couples in reality TV history—have parted ways.
This comes not long after Jacobs said during the show’s reunion that she would stand by Ravenel, who did not appear due to sexual assault accusations against him. “It is all hearsay,” Jacobs told Andy Cohen at the time. “He’s not been charged with anything. These are just allegations. It used to be ‘You’re innocent until proven guilty,’ and now you’re guilty until proven innocent.”
Now, though? They’re done. There’s no trace of the couple to be found on either of their Instagram accounts, and, according to People, Jacobs addressed the breakup directly on Instagram Live.
“I don’t want to comment, but there are just some things I’m trying to handle privately,” she reportedly said. “Before I say too much, I love Thomas, and I’ll always love Thomas. I’ll always care about him. I’m still trying to work it out, not work out getting back together, but I’m still trying to figure it out.”
She added, “I think everyone’s been through breakups before but it’s hard. It’s not easy … Sometimes you just want to stay quiet and figure out what the next move in your life is going to be. … I’m just trying to take care of myself the best way that I can.”
She also posted yesterday about starting fresh, even changing her Instagram bio to read, “Basically a new account with a clean slate.”
Ravenel hasn’t commented on the breakup, but he did reveal that he won’t be on the next season of Southern Charm. “I’m not doing the show anymore,” he tweeted per People—though his tweets are now private. “In the contract they have the right to fictionalize your story. They took advantage of me. I decided I’ve got too much to lose and informed them I’m not coming back.”
While the fandom at large has been rooting for the duo to split, this isn’t exactly a situation where anybody comes off as the “good” guy. Jacobs burst onto the Charleston scene this season as Ravenel’s new girlfriend after moving from California to be with him. Though she previously had a career as a nurse, Jacobs did not work while living in Charleston—and whether or not she was with Ravenel for his money became an oft-discussed topic among cast members.
But it was Jacobs’ treatment of Kathryn Dennis, the mother of Ravenel’s two children, that turned her into the season’s villain. During a blow-up in Hilton Head, Jacobs called into question Dennis’ parenting, claiming she saw Dennis’ children “more than you do.” Ravenel, true to character, sat back and watched it happen without intervening. Later that night, Ravenel had his own rage-filled outburst that was, honestly, scary.
The couple’s toxic behavior continued throughout the season—Ravenel’s old “Southern ways” tended toward the misogynistic even on his best days—and many viewers and cast members felt sympathy for Jacobs because of the way Ravenel treated her. During the reunion, cast members voiced so much concern, Jacobs asked if they were hosting an intervention.
In other words, this is one couple I hope never, ever gets back together. And I’m not alone: