‘Love Is Blind’ Stars Ashley Adionser and Tyler Francis Call It Quits After a Year of Marriage

Ashley Adionser and Tyler Francis, who found love and tied the knot on season 7 of Netflix’s hit reality series “Love Is Blind,” officially announced their split after just over a year of marriage.

In an exclusive statement to PEOPLE, Ashley opened up about the decision, saying, “After much reflection, I want to share that Tyler and I have been separated for several weeks and have now made the difficult decision to end our marriage. While I had hoped for mutual understanding and transparency in our relationship, it has become clear that our paths are no longer aligned, making it impossible for me to continue in this marriage.”

Ashley emphasized the difficulty of the choice but noted it was essential for her own personal growth and peace. She added, “This was not a decision I made lightly, but one I know is necessary. While this chapter is ending, I will always hold respect for the time and love we shared. I kindly ask for privacy during this deeply personal time as I focus on healing and building a new future. Thank you for your understanding and support.”

Ashley and Tyler’s love story began in the pods during season 7, which aired in October 2023. The pair hit it off quickly, and their connection was one of the highlights of the season. However, their relationship faced significant challenges when Tyler revealed during filming that he was a sperm donor and had three biological children. While he insisted he had no relationship with the children and didn’t even know what they looked like, his disclosure caused tension between the couple.

Despite her initial shock, Ashley chose to move forward, and the pair got engaged before tying the knot in the season finale. However, their relationship took a hit when allegations surfaced online while the show was airing. Photos of Tyler celebrating Christmas morning with his biological children in matching pajamas began circulating, contradicting his claims of limited involvement. Additionally, allegations that Tyler owed child support and had abandoned his kids to appear on the show added fuel to the fire.

At the season 7 reunion, Tyler addressed some of the allegations, explaining his complicated relationship with the children and their mother. He admitted to stepping in to help a friend and her wife start a family as a sperm donor but later became involved in the children’s lives when his friend’s wife left the family. Tyler confessed he had lied about not knowing his kids’ appearances to protect their privacy but clarified that Ashley had been aware of the situation from the start.

“There’s pictures of me around,” Tyler admitted at the reunion. “I played a part that became very shaky with a friend. There’s no rule books to this… but I do want to let people know Ashley knows all this. This is news to the world, this has never been news to us.”

Ashley, for her part, stood by Tyler during the reunion and dismissed claims that she was blindsided by his revelations. “For people to imply that ‘she was blindsided,’ ‘she didn’t know,’ is insulting to my intelligence,” she said. “There were things he was comfortable sharing and things he wasn’t.”

However, after the reunion aired, Tyler found himself addressing even more criticism when he appeared on the Dear Future Wifey podcast in November. During the interview, Tyler spoke about his strained relationship with the children’s mother, denying that he was an absent father because he had never intended to take on an active role. “I want them to have their family and leave me alone,” Tyler said, calling himself a “glorified babysitter that [the mother of their children] need money from.”

Though the couple initially appeared to weather the storm together, it seems the weight of their public and personal challenges became too much to bear.

For fans of Love Is Blind, the breakup serves as another reminder of how difficult it can be to navigate relationships under the microscope of reality television. As Ashley and Tyler close this chapter, they’ll join the growing list of couples from the show who ultimately went their separate ways.

All seven seasons of Love Is Blind are now streaming on Netflix, with season 8 set to premiere on February 14, 2025.