When Andy Cohen asked Craig Conover if he had “any announcements” about his relationship with Summer House's Paige DeSorbo (e.g. an engagement) during Watch What Happens Live on Dec. 12, 2024, Craig said that while there were no wedding bells ringing just yet, they were "happy" in their relationship.
More specifically, Craig noted, “I am happy representing the couple that we are now. Just dating a strong, independent, career-driven woman ... We live for the week instead of obsessing about the future.”
However, the implication that Craig and Paige were still a “couple” at the time turned out to be untrue, because in reality, they broke up shortly after Thanksgiving.
Naturally, Andy pressed Craig about this during Part 1 of the Season 10 Southern Charm reunion, which aired March 27. As he put it, “You told me on Watch What Happens Live you were still together. Do you feel like you were telling the truth then?"
Responded Craig, “After a three-year relationship, when a girl has asked you to buy her an engagement ring — and you did — and asked you to move to New York — and you had agreed to move to New York — when you just get a phone call after spending a great Thanksgiving weekend with her, and then she's like, ‘We’ll talk about it' ... I didn’t think it was real.”
Craig Conover shares when his split with Paige DeSorbo became "real"
Craig revealed on the Southern Charm reunion that he and Paige continued to speak after the initial call ending the relationship.
“Again, this isn’t like a, ‘We broke up and then it was over, and I moved on with my life,’” he explained. “We had been planning our life together for three years. She fantasized about the family and stuff. And so yes, I have been in a weird place throughout December, which we continued to talk throughout December.”
Craig claims their relationship limbo took at turn at the end of the year.
“Two days before New Year’s she texted me and said, ‘I just wanted you to know, like I talked about it on my podcast and said we’re no longer together,’” he said at the reunion. “And then all my stuff just showed up on my porch one day. Then it became real.”
Craig shares why he didn't immediately tell Austen about the breakup
Shep Rose and Austen Kroll, Craig’s closest friends on Southern Charm, shared at the reunion that neither of them heard about the end of Craig and Paige’s relationship from Craig himself. Shep found out in a direct message from Rodrigo Reyes.
“It rocked me,” Shep said. “I had no idea.”
Craig shared that Paige called him to end the relationship as he and Austen were on tour in Toronto for their podcast Pillows and Beer on Dec. 2, 2024.
“I just knew. Right? Because his energy prior to the show was very just inward,” Austen said.
Austen admitted to pushing Craig to reveal the truth of the breakup.
“I texted you eventually,” Craig said at the reunion. “You were like, ‘When are you [and Paige] going to London?’ I was like, ‘We didn’t go to London.’”
“I was kind of like goading you, because I knew. And I just wanted you to say it to me,” Austen replied.
Andy remarked during the reunion that it was “curious” Craig chose not to share his breakup with his “buddy” Austen while they were together.
“This is going to be harsh, but I don’t trust him yet. I knew if I told Austen, the world would know,” Craig answered. “I was freaking out. Like this becomes really real if everyone starts talking about it.”
“I think that’s a bit harsh. But I understood,” Austen replied. “It was pretty obvious to me that Craig was keeping me at a bit of a bay. I’m not upset at Craig. I mean, it’s saddening a bit that he didn’t think he could tell me. But, we could have talked. You could have cried to me, you know.”
Despite the delay in sharing news of the breakup, Craig said he felt the love from everyone—friends and fans—when it did come out.
“I’ve never felt more supported in my life,” Craig said at the reunion. “Whether it was you guys or the thousands of people that watch our shows. So many people related to it. So many people were like, ‘I know you don’t want to hear this, but it just takes time.’ It was this shared experience which was really special and helped me feel less alone.”
