The first couple from Love Is Blind have announced their divorce, and it points to how much the marriage experiment might not work. Iyanna McNeely and Jarrette Jones shocked fans when they announced their divorce in a joint statement posted on Instagram. The pair cited the "different directions" they're going in as the cause for the split. But considering the rocky start to their marriage, there were signs they weren't meant to last.
Like most participants, Jarrette and Iyanna went into the marriage experiment looking to find love. Jarrette was torn between the feelings he developed for Iyanna and Mallory Zapata. But when Mallory turned down Jarrette's proposal, he decided to rebound with Iyanna. The choice raised questions about if Jarrette was really going into the experiment with the right mindset. There were participants who didn't make it to the honeymoon because they didn't find a match. Those who didn't make it to the group honeymoon trip were phased out and got little to no camera time.
The couples that did have all eyes on them as they were met with trying to connect with someone they were already engaged to. The Love Is Blind marriage experiment is made to see if a couple can fall in love without knowing what the other looks like. It's meant to build unions of mental and emotional connection rather than physical. But after two seasons, fans can see the issues that arise when someone learns what their spouse looks like only after getting engaged. Season 2 saw a number of couples separate including Shaina Hurley and Kyle Abrams and Deepti Vampati and Abhishek "Shake" Chatterje.
Shake faced backlash for his constant complaints about Deepti's physical appearance. Shake took his villain role in stride and by the reunion accused the entire cast of being "fake" just to be well received by viewers. He also admitted to only going on the show to enjoy what comes from reality stardom. His reveals highlighted how some people might force connections on the show to gain clout and popularity. Other season 2 couples who broke up include Natalie Lee and Shayne Jansen, who called it off after getting into an explosive fight the night before the wedding. Season 1 also saw a number of couples part ways including Giannina Gibelli and Damian Powers, Kelly Chase and Kenny Barnes, and Jessica Batten and Mark Cuevas. The amount of heartbreaks that have come from the show certainly surpass the number of couples that have made it. Lauren Speed and Cameron Hamilton have become the staple of the show and are still going strong. Amber Pike and Matt Barnett are another season 1 couple that is still together.
From season 2, Danielle Ruhl and Nick Thompson are now the last surviving married couple. That brings the total to just three couples who have stood the test of time so far. Outside of the many breakups, Love Is Blind is facing a lawsuit from a former participant who claims the cast was denied water, plied with alcohol, and underpaid during filming. The lawsuit unearthed some shocking revelations about the show's production and what might be taking place behind the scenes in order to force connections. People have been known to fall in love on a blind date. But even a blind date gives daters the chance to see who they're dating and if they want to move forward. Considering how Love Is Blind is facing its first divorce, many are wondering if the marriage experiment is the real deal.