Today’s Jill Martin splits from fiancé Erik Brooks after coronavirus crisis ‘takes a toll’ on long-distance relationship
TODAY contributor Jill Martin has ended her engagement with fiancé Erik Brooks, blaming coronavirus which took “a toll” on their relationship. Jill, 44, announced the end of her three year relationship blamed long distance on the breakdown of her relationship. She said in a statement: “This pandemic has taken a toll on so many aspects […]
TODAY contributor Jill Martin has ended her engagement with fiancé Erik Brooks, blaming coronavirus which took “a toll” on their relationship.
Jill, 44, announced the end of her three year relationship blamed long distance on the breakdown of her relationship.
She said in a statement: “This pandemic has taken a toll on so many aspects of life — it’s such a difficult time for everyone. Erik is the most magnificent person, but with him living in Boston with his children, and me living in New York, the distance just became too difficult for us to maintain the kind of relationship that’s important to us both. He is an amazing man, and I wish him nothing but the best.”
Page Six originally revealed she broke up with Erik after fans spotted her without her engagement ring.
The couple originally were together in quarantine at her home in the Hamptons – where they got engaged last year.
But Erik then relocated to Boston to be with his kids and the distance was too much to bear.
Jill who is a lifestyle contributor to Today and hosts the popular Deals and Steals segment, revealed the couple had never spent as much time together as those first few weeks in quarantine.
She appeared on Today last month with her then fiancé to talk about what life was like in quarantine.
Jill revealed: “Erik and I have never spent so much concentrated time together, we’ve been here basically alone for three weeks 24/7…and like many couples we’ve had a couple of blow ups….I’d would say they were kind of major blow ups, it was kind of tough…These are unprecedented times.”
Erik – who works as a managing partner at a private equity firm – and Jill got engaged over the Memorial Day weekend last year.
The Today contributor described his romantic proposal at the Hamptons after two years of dating.
Speaking on Today after her engagement, Jill said: “[Erik] told me we were going to a friend’s house for a casual kick-off to summer party … he even sent me a paperless post with the fake invite. I kinda knew something was fishy but couldn’t put my finger on it!”
Erik then lead her to a seaside tent filled with mementos of their relationship.
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She recalled: “When I looked in the tent there were pics of us from the last year and 8 months framed everywhere … candles … flowers … all our favorite songs on a playlist.”
After he proposed, Jill took to Instagram to say she was “over the moon”, but has since deleted all photos of the couple from her Instagram.
On top of her Today gig, Jill covers New York Knicks games for the MSG networks, has published several books and also has a line of home organization products.
In 2014, she worked with designer Kenneth Cole to break the Guinness world record for constructing the world’s largest high-heeled shoe, but their record was smashed in 2019 by a company in Tunisia.