BIP: Maurissa Claims Riley Acted Like A Different Person After Filming
Former Bachelor in Paradise star Maurissa Gunn claims her ex-fiancé Riley Christian turned into a different person after the show ended. Riley and Maurissa had an instant connection—so much so that after their first date they chose to forgo their previous rooms and spend the night in the "boom boom room." Maurissa, who had previously been talking to another contestant from The Bachelor franchise, cut ties right away and started focusing solely on Riley. The pair solidified themselves as one of the strongest couples, but that didn't stop Maurissa's insecurities. Maurissa was concerned that Riley would click with someone else on the beach, and it caused her a lot of anxiety.
However, Riley reassured Maurissa that he wanted to be with her, and only her. The couple ended up getting engaged in the season finale, and they seemed to be a solid pair. Right away, the unexpected Bachelor in Paradise couple was vocal about moving in together, starting a family soon, and having the wedding even sooner. In the winter of 2021, Maurissa moved to New York to be with Riley, and the two spent Christmas together. But shortly after the holidays, the couple went silent on social media. Fans noticed that Maurissa had taken down all the photos of her and Riley on her Instagram, and shortly after the two confirmed they had broken up. Though both parties never went into detail about what happened, other members of Bachelor Nation hinted Riley had done wrong by Maurissa.
Recently, Maurissa stopped by Bachelor alums Ben Higgins and Ashley Iaconetti's Almost Famous podcast and went into more detail about the split, "Sometimes who you meet on the show is not who they are after the show…Our whole relationship was legit, of course. I loved him from the bottom of my heart, I’m sure he loved me back. It just didn’t work out." Maurissa went on to explain she'd had a feeling she loved Riley more than he loved her, and despite his reassurance, that feeling never went away. Maurissa even admitted she was "upset" with herself for staying in the relationship despite her misgivings, explaining, "[I think to myself], you knew it right then and there, but you were just trying to like work through the circumstances."
Throughout the podcast, Maurissa confirmed she'd moved back to Atlanta, and even started dating, "I clearly want love, I want marriage. I want babies." However, she was quick to point out the date she went on was a one-off, and she won't be seeing that person again. Maurissa then mentioned how her experience on BIP changed how she was going to date moving forward, "I know not to just fall in love with somebody right away that says, ‘Oh, you're pretty, you know, and I want to take you on a date.’ And that's kind of the mistake I made before." When she was on BIP she feelt like she wanted love so desperately she was willing to accept anything, but now she knows her worth.
It's unfortunate that popular Bachelor franchise couple Maurissa and Riley didn't work out, but it says a lot that she was willing to take that risk. Finding love on a reality TV show is a huge gamble. Sometimes people are who they present themselves to be, but sometimes the cameras change them. Maurissa did say she's not ruling out going on Bachelor in Paradise for a second time. Bachelor Nation adored watching her fall in love with Riley, but maybe the next season will be even better.
Next: BIP: Why Wells Adams & Sarah Hyland Should Get Their Own Reality Show