Shannon Beador and boyfriend John Janssen have split after three and a half years together.
The ‘Real Housewives of Orange County’ star, 58, announced Wednesday that she was ‘taken by surprise’ when Janssen, 59, dumped her in late November, just a week after she began filming season 17 of the Bravo show had finished.
“We were in a great place,” she told People. “But seven days later, when the cameras were off, it was a very different story. He told me he was done with the relationship. And hearing what he said to me at the time was absolutely devastating.”
The Real Housewives of Orange County star Shannon Beador and boyfriend John Janssen have split. shannonbeador/Instagram
“I’ve never loved anyone like John. But obviously he didn’t feel that way,” Beador said.Eugene Gologursky/Bravo via Gett
The reality star, who was previously married to David Beador for 18 years, shared that she “never loved anyone more” than Janssen.
“I had hopes that this was the man I would spend the rest of my life with,” she told the magazine. “I wanted it to work. I’ve never loved anyone like I loved John. But obviously he didn’t feel that way.”
The Bravolebrity also addressed their two post-breakup hangouts with Janssen.shannonbeador/Instagram
After the split, the exes saw each other at two University of Southern California games – and Shannon even posted selfies with Janssen to Instagram on both occasions.
“I had hope that we could find a way forward,” she said of the clashes. “But being together just made it harder for both of us.”
The exes have since severed all contact. NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
Since then, however, Shannon and Janssen have kept their distance and recently even unfollowed each other on Instagram.
“The holidays were very, very difficult. I couldn’t believe he wasn’t here and there were days I just cried myself to sleep,” she admitted. “But it’s a new year and I’m ready for a fresh start.”
The mother-of-three shared how she would “just cry [herself] to sleep” over the holidays. NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
Janssen, the president of an insurance brokerage firm, also spoke to People and shared that he was “pained” by his “super hard” decision to quit bravolebrity.
“It’s sad because I love Shannon very much,” he said. “I loved her more than any woman in my life … And I know that as long as I live I will never meet anyone like her again.
Janssen also shared his side of the story. Todd Williamson/Bravo via Getty
“But that doesn’t mean we’re right for each other for the rest of our lives,” he added.
Janssen said he realized he didn’t “believe” in their relationship since “love isn’t always enough.”
“There’s no point in being together if you don’t believe in it,” Janssen told shannonbeador/Instagram
“I think the world of Shannon,” he concluded. “I only want what’s best for her. She deserves that.”
The couple started dating after meeting through mutual friends in 2019. Viewers watched the ups and downs of their relationship unfold over the final few seasons of “RHOC” — including Shannon, who apologized to Janssen for mistreating him during the COVID-19 lockdown and addressed a rumor he had been kicked out of a golf tournament for being too drunk.
Shannon shares three daughters with her ex-husband David Beador.FilmMagic
Shannon and her ex-husband David, 58, share three daughters: Sophie, 21, and twins Stella and Adeline, 18.
Season 17 of RHOC will premiere on Bravo later this year.