Shannon Beador and her boyfriend John Janssen have broken up after three and a half years together.
The “Real Housewives of Orange County” star, 58, announced Wednesday that she was “blindsided” when Janssen, 59, dumped her in late November, just one week after she finished filming Season 17 of the Bravo show.
“We were in a great place,” she told People. “But seven days later, when the cameras were down, it was a completely different story. He told me he was done with the relationship. And to hear what he said to me then was absolutely devastating.”
The reality star, who was previously married to David Beador for 18 years, shared that she “never loved anyone more” than Janssen.
“I was hopeful this was the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with,” she told the magazine. “I wanted it to work out. I’ve never loved anyone like I’ve loved John. But clearly, he didn’t feel the same way.”
After the split, the exes saw each other at two University of Southern California games — and Shannon even posted selfies with Janssen on Instagram on both occasions.
“I was hopeful we could find a way forward,” she explained of the run-ins. “But being around one another only made it harder for both of us.”
Since then, however, Shannon and Janssen have kept their distance and even recently unfollowed each other on Instagram.
“The holidays were very, very difficult. I couldn’t believe he wasn’t here, and there would be days I would just cry myself to sleep,” she admitted. “But it’s a new year, and I’m ready for a fresh start.”
Janssen, the president of an insurance brokerage company, also spoke to People, sharing that he is in “pain” over his “super hard” decision to call it quits with the Bravolebrity.
“It’s sad because I love Shannon very much,” he said. “I have loved her more deeply than any woman in my life … And I know that for as long as I live, I’ll never meet anyone like her again.
“But that doesn’t mean we’re right for each other for the rest of our lives,” he added.
Janssen said he realized that he did not “believe” in their relationship, as “love is not always enough.”
“I think the world of Shannon,” he concluded. “I just want the best for her. She deserves that.”
The pair began dating after meeting through mutual friends in 2019. Viewers watched the ups and downs of their relationship unfold on recent seasons of “RHOC” — including Shannon apologizing to Janssen for treating him poorly during the COVID-19 lockdown and addressing a rumor that he had been kicked out of a golf tournament for being too drunk.
Shannon and her ex-husband, David, 58, share three daughters: Sophie, 21, and twins Stella and Adeline, 18.
“RHOC” Season 17 premieres later this year on Bravo.