Craig Conover revealed he is back on the market after briefly dating Natalie Buffett following his very public split from Paige DeSorbo.
Conover, 36, confirmed he’s single while appearing on the Wednesday, June 25, episode of “The Toast” podcast, weeks after Us Weekly reported he and Buffett were not “exclusive.”
“I was seeing a really, really nice girl,” Conover told host Jackie Oshry, sharing that Buffett, 27, “will be someone’s perfect person” one day without mentioning her by name.
When it comes to their relationship, the Southern Charm star explained, “I just wasn’t ready to date but I didn’t know that. There’s no guidebook for this.”
Conover went on to explain that Buffett is “just a wonderful person” but that, in the end, he had internal things to work on outside of any romantic relationship.
“I really was like, ‘Oh, I have some healing to do. I have to go find myself again,’” Conover confessed.
The Sewing Down South founder has been through a lot over the past six months, after news broke in December 2024 that he and DeSorbo, 32, had split after three years of dating.
DeSorbo clarified in February that she broke up with Conover after Thanksgiving in 2024. After speaking in person the following month, DeSorbo said they were done for good.
DeSorbo and Conover proceeded to trade jabs publicly about one another and share their sides of the breakup story on Summer House and Southern Charm, respectively. DeSorbo even claimed during the season 9 reunion for Summer House that she doesn’t think Conover’s engagement ring for her existed.
Conover, meanwhile, showed Oshry a photo of the alleged ring on Wednesday’s podcast, which had a geotag of Charleston where he lives. According to Oshry, the picture was taken on “March 11” in 2024, prior to the couple’s split.
While Conover noted it is frustrating to have to prove he bought the ring, she claimed having to return it didn’t sour him on a future engagement. “It was a really fun process and I’m excited to do it, you know, again one day,” he told listeners.
Although Conover didn’t propose to DeSorbo, he did get back into the dating game earlier this year when he and Buffett linked up. Us confirmed in March that the pair, who met years prior and had a brief fling, reconnected at the beginning of the year.
“They are taking things slow and it’s still pretty new, but Craig is all in,” the insider exclusively told Us in March, noting that Buffett and Conover were doing long distance.
Earlier this month, Buffett, who previously dated NFL quarterback Dak Prescott, hinted that she and Conover had cooled down.
“If you’re new here, you should know that I never have and never will comment on any current or past relationship,” Buffett wrote via her Instagram Stories on June 8, after a fan asked her, “Are you dating?” during a social media Q&A.
She revealed, “I’m not dating anyone specific and just really enjoying the season I’m in right now with my family and friends and traveling the world. Hope this helps, xoxo.”
Days later, Us exclusively confirmed that while Conover had seen Buffett “recently,” according to a source, who shared that the pair’s “relationship hasn’t progressed or become serious” because she “travels often.”
The insider told Us on June 10 that Buffett is “the type that can’t be tied down right now.” Buffett allegedly “doesn’t want to be in a relationship,” the source added.
Conover, meanwhile, noted on Wednesday that he thinks his relationship with Buffett “stalled” after her name was linked to his in the news.
When asked if he would entertain a setup, Conover said it was a no-go. “I just think my fear of rejection is way too high,” he shared.
For now, Conover is excited about his next “chapter,” which includes living in London from September to November.
