Another Bachelor Nation couple bites the dust. The Bachelorette Season 4 lead DeAnna Pappas and her husband, Stephen Stagliano, have announced the end of their marriage after more than 10 years together. “It is with immense sadness, Stephen & I have decided to end our relationship as a couple. We have been working hard for a long time — both as a married couple & as individuals & have come to the conclusion to remain separate,” the 41-year-old television host and mommy blogger wrote in a Jan. 19 Instagram post.
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“We remain loving parents to our beautiful children, Addison & Austin, & will continue to raise them together with love & faith,” the statement continued. “We ask you to respect our privacy during this difficult time as we navigate the new normal. We want to thank our dear friends & family for your endless support & many, many prayers during what has become the most difficult time of our lives.”
Although DeAnna led The Bachelorette in 2008, she was first introduced to the franchise during Brad Womack’s first Bachelor season in 2007 (he also led the show in 2011). After being dumped by Brad during his proposal episode, DeAnna went on to get engaged to Jesse Csincsak during her finale episode. Sadly, they did not make it to the alter. DeAnna then met her future husband through Bachelorette Season 5 contestant Michael Stagliano, who is Stephen’s twin brother, per ABC News.
The reality star and Stephen walked down the aisle in 2011 and had their first child, a daughter named Addison, in Feb. 2014. They welcomed their son Austin in March 2016.
DeAnna and Stephen didn’t seem to hint at any trouble in paradise on social media leading up to their divorce, but they were open about the fact that they attend couples’ counseling in a 2018 interview with Us Weekly. “We pay thousands of dollars for counseling, so we’re doing great!” the reality star and blogger joked. “Not that we were ever not.” She added, “We think you’re crazy if you don’t go to therapy. We are all a product of our environment and how we were raised and none of us are perfect.”
In a June 2022 Father’s Day post, DeAnna gushed about how much Stephen means to her and their kids. “Happy Father’s Day to our guy! He’s way more than a dad to us…he’s our world!! Best dad to Addison & Austin,” she wrote alongside a photo of Austin and their children at what appears to be a wedding. Two months later, she memorialized Addison’s first day of third grade and Austin’s first day of first grade with a family selfie, as seen above.