Bachelorette: Why Ali Fedotowsky-Manno & Roberto Are Not Still Together
Before she became the sixth Bachelorette, Ali Fedotowsky won viewers over on Jake Pavelka's season of The Bachelor. With her beautiful looks and bubbly personality, she was an early frontrunner to win the pilot's heart. Jake was devastated when she had to quit the show for her job. Ultimately, the fourteenth Bachelor proposed to Vienna Girardi, which was soon followed by one of the franchise's nastiest breakups.
Ali proved so popular with viewers that she left that job for a second chance at finding love on TV. She connected with Roberto Martinez right away, giving him the first impression rose. They became engaged during the Bora Bora-set finale. The two were a fan favorite couple, and many were shocked when the engagement was called off 18 months later. What went wrong between them, and where are they now?
The pair quickly started wedding planning after their season wrapped. They moved to San Diego together, both making important career moves. Roberto opened up a branch of the insurance company he worked for while Ali began her entertainment journalism career at a local news station. However, the nuptials were postponed three separate times, including once when Ali had knee surgery. Their split was announced on November 21, 2011. Soon after, the TV host appeared on the cover of People Magazine, where she opened up about the breakup. The Massachusetts native cited their different personalities and interests as a problem, and admitted they had been arguing for some time. The former E! News personality later reflected on the engagement while hosting KineticTV's Love Buzz in 2017. Bristling against the suggestion that it was a "failed" relationship, she said "Actually, I think it was the most successful relationship of my life because I learned so much about myself."
Ali married Kevin Manno in 2017. She started dating the radio host about two years after her split from Roberto. They met on the set of 1st Look, the NBC lifestyle show Ali hosted at the time. The couple has two kids, and the aliluvs.com blogger often posts adorable family photos on Instagram. Roberto is not in the public eye as much, though that may be because unlike his ex, his career doesn't require it. The insurance agent has also found new love, becoming engaged to Kristiana Elliot in January. Showing there is no bad blood between the exes, Ali told Us Weekly that she was happy for him, and that they occasionally kept in touch, such as when he texted congratulations after her second child was born.
Ten years after her season of The Bachelorette, the working mom still has connections to Bachelor Nation. She even co-hosted Bachelor Happy Hour with fellow former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay and has appeared on other podcasts about the show. Ali's stint on reality TV clearly did wonders for her career. And while she didn't make it down the aisle with Roberto, the two are at least on better terms than some other former couples from the franchise.
Source: People Magazine, KineticTV YouTube, US Weekly