What's the Reality? – Love is Blind's Colleen Reed Breaks Her Silence: The Truth About Her Divorce

Date: January 21, 2026
Hosts: Giannina Gibelli & Blake Moynes (guest-hosting for Amber Desiree)
Guest: Colleen Reed (Love is Blind, Season 3)

Episode Overview

In her first public interview since her split with Matt Bolton, Colleen Reed opens up about her journey before, during, and after her Love is Blind marriage. Hosts Giannina and Blake create a candid, supportive atmosphere as Colleen reveals the untold truths of her breakup, how she’s healing, lessons learned, and what comes next. The conversation is funny, vulnerable, and refreshingly honest—perfect for fans wanting to know the real story behind the headlines.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Life After Love is Blind: The End of Colleen & Matt

• Timeline of Separation
  • Colleen and Matt separated around November 2024 but kept it private until spring 2025 (03:14).
  • They lived together for several months post-breakup before making it public to avoid unnecessary stress and public scrutiny (03:46).

“We both kind of agreed upon, like, let's not say anything until we are not living together. And so the day that I moved out was the day that we announced.”
– Colleen Reed (04:04)

• Final Goodbye

  • The day she moved out and they announced their split was the most emotionally challenging: "Giving him that final hug and saying goodbye..." (05:49).

• Reality of Reality TV Relationships

  • Colleen emphasizes their relationship’s authenticity—countering claims it was staged or fake:

"I just want to, like, scream that to the mountaintops... Do you want to pay for my therapy bill? Like, it was really heartbreaking." (05:27)

2. Processing the Breakup & Lessons Learned

• Why the Marriage Ended
  • The relationship was always “a rollercoaster” with high highs and low lows, but never consistent. They both reached a point where they knew it couldn’t work anymore (06:59, 24:43).
  • There wasn’t a single dramatic cause (“not trust issues, not cheating, just not working”). Quality time and differing priorities created distance (17:11–18:54).

“It was never consistently high. It was always these high highs that—but never consistent.”
– Colleen (13:10)

• Lasting Sadness Despite the Right Choice
  • Letting go wasn’t a relief at first. The grief lingered for days after the final farewell, highlighting the depth of their bond (25:58).

“In that moment, it was just...so sad. I just kept thinking, like, I can't believe I'm not gonna hug him again.”
– Colleen (25:58)

• Advice for Others
  • Colleen isn’t sure if couples should "fight to the bitter end," but is glad they did everything possible. She wants fans to know their relationship was real, and they both tried “anything and everything possible to make it work” (28:31).

3. Life, Growth & Dating Post-Divorce

• Embracing Change
  • Colleen has moved into her own place (15:59), traveled (28:57), and is not dating seriously—just "window shopping" and taking things slow (29:28).

“I'm not dating seriously at all. I'm window shopping, you know, test tasting, doing some returns. You know, I'm doing that.” (29:28)

• What She’s Looking For

  • New priorities: Quality time, being "yearned for," motivation, being family-oriented, and spending time together in and out of the house (30:14).
  • playful preference for British or Scottish accents—“add that to the list!” (30:56).

• Divorce Still Ongoing

  • Legalities aren’t finished; she won’t date officially or use apps until the divorce is final (31:28).

• Staying Respectful

  • Protectiveness for Matt remains—she’s careful not to “throw him under the bus” and admits to still caring, though not wanting to rekindle (32:04).

4. Healing, Friendship & Support

• First Real Breakup
  • This marks Colleen’s first “real” heartbreak, distinct from high school or college flings (33:25).

“This is my first, like, love, deeply in love with this person breakup. So it's been interesting.” – Colleen (33:25)

• No Regrets

  • She wouldn’t change anything, appreciating her growth and the love she found—even if it ended (33:46, 34:01).

• On Public Pressure & Social Media

  • Finds humor when fans ship her with others (“Cole”), clarifying there was never a real connection there (34:26–35:41).

“I'm like, what are you guys ... we didn't work in the pods for a reason...I couldn't even tell you one thing that we talked about, honestly.” – Colleen (35:37)

• Self-Care During Heartbreak
  • Initial weeks were “rough, rough, rough...” but TikTok and messages from fans helped her feel less alone (36:07).
  • Support from her “village” of family and friends was vital (37:45).

5. What's Next? Career, Optimism & Shooting Her Shot

• Career Transition

  • After retiring from professional dance, Colleen is focusing on content creation and social media management at Lane Boots (cowboy boot company) (59:26–59:59).

• Travel & Personal Growth

  • Traveling (Italy, hopes for Croatia and France), prioritizing friendships, family, and self-discovery (59:59–60:09).

• Remaining Optimistic

  • Despite not being where she thought she’d be at 30, Colleen is excited for her next chapter (39:07–40:06).

“You should be so grateful that you're going through these kinds of things because you're going through life like you are alive. And—yes, you're feeling it. Like, feel that heartbreak. How, like, lucky are you?” (41:21)

• Dating DMs & “Shooting Her Shot”
  • Colleen is not on dating apps, but her DMs are open—no blue checkmarks, but fun (52:55–53:14).
  • On-air, the hosts prompt her to DM Freddie from Perfect Match, crafting a playful message:

"Hi. This is me officially shooting my shot... Should we share some fish and chips?" (57:13–58:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Authenticity & Heartbreak:

  • “Do you want to pay for my therapy bill? Like, it was...really heartbreaking. Like, giving him that final hug and saying goodbye.” – Colleen (05:27)

• On Relationship Highs and Lows:

  • “It was never consistently high. It was always these high highs that—but never consistent.” (13:10)

• On Prioritizing Quality Time:

  • “I did not realize how much I value quality time. It is now my, like, number one love language.” (18:07)

• On What She Wants Going Forward:

  • “Definitely someone that, like, yearns for me...But also, aside from that, definitely motivated, Godly, a family man...and show me off in the world.” (30:14)

• On Growth and Resilience:

  • “My divorce has taught me to be resilient, to be strong...Don’t just sit there and wallow.” (41:22)

• On The Power of Community:

  • “Support system that I had—my girlfriends, my family...constantly calling me, checking in on me, making sure that I was okay and would let me talk about the same thing over and over and over again.” (37:44)

• On Future Relationships:

  • “I hope I have, like, insane chemistry, but I also am like, let's use our brain, Colleen. Let's not just use our heart.” (50:51)

• On Friendship During Hard Times:

  • Her Love is Blind co-star Alexa supported her through the breakup, and now Colleen is supporting Alexa through hers (43:11–44:59).

• Playful Shooter’s Moment:

  • “Hi. This is me officially shooting my shot. Three eyes. Should we share some fish and chips?” (58:00)

Key Timestamps

• [03:14] – Timeline of the breakup’s public announcement
• [05:27] – Colleen describes the pain of saying goodbye
• [13:10] – The relationship’s pattern of highs and lows
• [18:07] – The importance of quality time and connection
• [28:31] – “We really tried” – Emphasizing authenticity
• [29:28] – Colleen on not dating seriously and embracing new single life metaphors
• [30:14] – Her updated wish list for a partner
• [31:28] – Divorce process still ongoing; not dating until finalized
• [33:25] – On this being her first real heartbreak
• [35:37] – Clarifying the “Cole” rumors
• [36:07] – Grieving, healing, and seeking comfort on social media
• [41:21] – Embracing hardship as proof of living life
• [57:13] – On-air DM to Freddie (Perfect Match)—the playful "shoot your shot" segment
• [59:26] – Life after ballet, career, and travel plans

Tone & Style

Candid, supportive, funny, unfiltered—true to the raw, open style of the podcast. Colleen is self-deprecating and warm, but also articulate and earnest about her struggles and resilience. The hosts provide comfort and laughter, creating space both for healing and humor.

For Listeners: Takeaways

• Relationships—especially those born from reality TV—are complicated, real, and sometimes heartbreakingly public.
• Healing is nonlinear; seeking support is powerful, and it’s okay to take your time.
• Growth often means building new boundaries, understanding your values, and bravely facing new beginnings—whether that’s solo travel, new friendships, or DMing your next crush (on air!).
• Colleen’s resilience, self-awareness, and optimism shine—making her journey relatable and inspiring for anyone facing change, heartbreak, or public scrutiny.

Find Colleen:

• Instagram: @jellybeancolleen
• TikTok: @colleenreed7

Next episode: Wednesdays, wherever you get your podcasts—stay tuned for more “reality” behind the reality!