Bachelorette stars Michelle Young and Nayte Olukoya break up less than a year after engagement

 

Michelle Young and Nayte Olukoya have officially ended their engagement. 

Both of the Bachelorette alums announced their breakup on their respective Instagram Stories on Friday, each penning a lengthy statement on the social media platform. 

The announcement comes just six months after the couple got engaged on her season of the beloved reality series.

"I'm struggling to say that Nayte and I will be going our separate ways, but I stand with him in knowing the heaviness that is present in both of our hearts as this relationship has been very real for us," Young, 28, wrote on her Story, noting that having her relationship in the public eye "has not been easy." 

Olukoya, 27, addressed his breakup from Young in a statement posted at the same time, writing, "When we both started this journey, we were looking for our Soulmates. Our forever. Our best friends." 

"However, as we grow and learn, we also realize that sometimes somebody that you hold dear to your heart isn't somebody that you're meant to spend the rest of your life with," he continued. 

 News of the couple going their separate ways comes a little over a month after Young shut down rumors of a split.

After video of the former teacher not wearing her engagement ring circulated, fans began to speculate that the engagement was off.