"I am blinded by wanting to make it work"—Southern Charm star Craig admits his hopes for reconciliation with Paige cloud his reality

Southern Charm season 10 released episode 17, titled Reunion Part 2, on April 2, 2025. In this reunion, Craig Conover opened up about the emotional complexity of his breakup with Paige DeSorbo. Reflecting on his feelings, he acknowledged that his desire to reconcile clouded his judgment. Craig explained:

"I was in love with the potential of what I thought we could be. And I think yes, I was blinded by wanting to make it work, I guess."

Craig also shared how he was stuck in a phase of denial, not wanting to accept the break-up in its entirety. He explained how he felt emotionally at that point, relating that even though he was sad, there were also instances of "lightness."

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Southern Charm's Craig Conover opens up about the emotional toll of his breakup with Paige DeSorbo

Craig’s reflections on the breakup timeline

During the Southern Charm reunion, Craig provided further insights into the timeline of his breakup with Paige. He clarified that although Paige had called it off after Thanksgiving 2024, their relationship remained uncertain for several weeks.

"After Watch What Happens Live on December 12, I went to her apartment to just be like, 'So what's happening?'...And she was like, 'I probably am making the worst mistake of my life, but I need to go find myself,'" Craig explained.

He described spending a great deal of time living by himself, but in his head, he kept thinking that "one day we'll do this together."

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The engagement ring and its role in the split

Another important part of Craig and Paige's breakup was the engagement ring Craig had bought for her. Craig said that he had ordered a four-carat elongated cushion cut ring, which had a half-carat of diamonds encircling the band.

"She was like, 'I'd like you to get me a ring. I think it's time...So, I had it made here," Craig stated.

However, when the ring was ready, Paige expressed a desire to delay the proposal. Craig claimed:

"By the time I got the ring, she was like, 'I'd rather you wait until after [we announce the business]."

He noted how this shift in plans caused him to question the timing of their relationship and the engagement itself. Craig also admitted that the situation "didn't feel totally right" and that he was "nervous," but not in a way that felt reassuring or positive.

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Craig’s shift in social media behavior post-breakup

In the wake of his split with Paige, Craig adjusted his social media behavior, which involved unfollowing some people who had come out in her defense. Host Andy Cohen introduced the topic at the Southern Charm reunion when he asked Craig why he unfollowed Summer House's Amanda Batula and Kyle Cooke. Craig responded:

"Yeah. They said there was something wrong with how I've been handling being broken up with."

Craig also explained his stance on not defending Paige during the reunion. He noted:

"She broke up with me...I’ve protected her to the ends of the earth. But that ended the day that you cut me out of your life."

Southern Charm star later confirmed that he has since moved on and is dating someone new. He expressed confidence in his healing process, stating that he'll "be okay."

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