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Bachelor in Paradise alums Brandon Jones and Serene Russell have broken up. The former couple took to Instagram to announce that they are calling off the engagement. The duo, who met and bonded with each other on season 8 of the reality dating series, were one of the strongest couples to come out of the installment. The news comes nearly six months after their engagement aired on television.
In an Instagram post, which included the former couple's pictures and videos, Brandon and Serene made the announcement and said:
"After many months, today we have ultimately decided to end our engagement. We have tried to work privately on our relationship which has been incredibly challenging in the public eye. This has been immensely hard to accept and painful, as there is a lot of love between the two of us."
Fans were left heartbroken by the split. One tweeted:
Bachelor in Paradise fans heartbroken with Brandon and Serene's breakup
Brandon and Serene's breakup came as a shock to the Bachelor Nation, who thronged to the comments section to shower their support. Fans, however, were shocked and heartbroken to see their favorite couple break up.
In the Instagram post, the former couple expressed to be deeply hurting and asked for "no hate." They also noted that the best path for them would be "to try and move forward and heal from this as individuals."
Check out how fans reacted to the Bachelor in Paradise couple's breakup.
Bachelor in Paradise couple Brandon and Serene instantly clicked on season 8
Fans were first introduced to the couple during their respective seasons of the Bachelor series. Brandon was one of the suitors on Michelle Young's season of The Bachelorette in 2021, while Serene made her debut on Clayton Echard's season of The Bachelor in 2022.
The former couple met on season 8 of Bachelor in Paradise. Brandon walked on the beach and instantly pulled Serene to talk. The latter, for her part, expressed that she was waiting for him to appear, indicating her interest early on. After a brief conversation, the two shared their first kiss, which was the beginning of their romantic journey on the show.
The former couple also survived the major twist that separated the men and the women and brought in new cast members. Brandon and Serene had an emotional reunion that made the rest of the rest, as well as fans, believe they were in for the long haul. The pair ultimately got engaged by the end of the season.
Bachelor in Paradise host Jesse Palmer even offered to marry them on the beach itself. However, the duo declined as they wanted their parents to be present as part of the celebration. During their proposal, Brandon told his then-partner:
"You are this everlasting spark that has hit me so hard and I've come to the realization that, from the moment I saw you, my happily ever after could have never started until I started a life with you."
In response, Serene called Brandon her "best friend." The former couple then made themselves official on Instagram by calling them "joneses...kinda."
Many Bachelor Nation alums expressed their love and support for the duo. These include Clayton Echard, Victoria Fuller, Susie Evans, Johnny DePhillipo, Katie Thurston, Genevieve Parisi, and many others.
