The highly anticipated Love Is Blind reunion episode started streaming on Netflix early Thursday and the cast members were finally able to set the record straight on all of their drama and controversies.
Carlton Morton and Diamond Jack addressed the backlash the two of them have received online for their tumultuous poolside argument during the show. The former couple agreed to get married, but the relationship imploded after only one day of being together in person because Carlton told Diamond he was bisexual and she was upset he took so long to tell her.
“I’ve been very concerned with Diamond and her backlash,” Carlton said during the reunion, which aired on YouTube. “I want to make it very clear that the woman that I fell in love with, I never felt that she was biphobic, homophobic, or that she wouldn’t love me. I was just afraid that we would have some issues that we would have to work through.”
Carlton explained that, in retrospect, he regrets the way he handled his situation with Diamond. The scene of the two fighting also includes Diamond walking away from Carlton, yelling out her version of Beyoncé’s “Don’t Hurt Yourself.”
“Watch my ass [move] to the next dick boy. Who the fuck do you think I am?” Diamond says. “You ain't married to no average bitch, boy.”
During the reunion, she joked about her use of the lyrics, saying, “I’ve been waiting on Beyoncé to call me because everyone’s been loving that for some reason.”
Diamond also explained that her intent in that moment was to have a more in-depth conversation with Carlton, but things took a turn.
“My goal right there in that scene was just to talk to him and get more understanding because I didn't know about it,” she said. “I didn't want it to get crazy and out of control.”
After the show started streaming, both cast members said they received death threats online. While Carlton said he “deserves some of the feedback” he’s received from viewers because of the way he treated his then-fiancé, he was fearful of such a negative reaction to him speaking his truth to an international audience on Netflix.
“It was very important to me to preserve my personal space and my mental space because subject matters like that can take you down a dark road,” he said. “So in the back of your mind, you're thinking, Oh my god, did I really just share my entire life?”
Carlton explained that part of him feels “very free since doing the show,” and another part of him “is just very disappointed that love didn’t work out the way I wanted for it to.” But both Carlton and Diamond are on good terms now — he reached out to Diamond prior to the reunion, he said, either on her birthday or over the holidays, and while they have no plans to get back together in the future because Diamond saw Carlton’s reaction as a red flag, she’s forgiven him.
“I’m not proposing to you, but I want to get down on one knee and apologize again at eye level,” Carlton said, kneeling down and holding the original ring that he gave to her on the show. “And I hope that you take this ring again as a significant piece of our friendship and the start of something beautiful without any kind of plan.”
Before hugging, Diamond said, “I do. I accept your apology and I do forgive you.”
Kenny Barnes and Kelly Chase, who didn’t end up tying the knot, also appeared on the reunion. Kelly is still single, and Kenny said he’s currently in a relationship. Meanwhile, everyone’s favorite Love Is Blind couple Lauren Speed and Cameron Hamilton are still happily married and even got a dog, whom they named Sparks in honor of their love story.
Damian Powers and Giannina Gibelli are still dating in real life, even though they didn’t go through with the wedding on the show.
“I wish I could take the pain away from her that day and the hurt and the embarrassment,” Damian said about not wanting to marry Giannina on their onscreen wedding day. “That was the hardest decision I’ve probably ever made in my life, honestly, and I would stick by it again because of where we are now.”
Giannina agreed that even though she was devastated at the time, it was better for the couple in the long run.
“Looking back, I respect his decision,” she said. “Where we are now, it’s so right for us where we can just date.”
Amber Pike and Matt Barnett are still married in real life, although Amber revealed the two hit a rough patch after filming stopped and they were married, but still getting to know each other.
“He was totally used to his bachelor life and I was used to my bachelor life too, but I think it took us a while to figure out how to hang out and party together,” Amber said. “At one point I had actually called about getting a divorce lawyer. I was like, This isn’t working.”
Amber also used her time at the reunion to confront Jessica Batten, who was engaged to Mark Cuevas on Love Is Blind but secretly still had a crush on Barnett from their time “dating” in the pods.
“The fact that she was going behind my back with me in the same room, yeah, that bothered me,” Amber said about Jessica. “If you still have feelings for my husband and you're engaged to my friend, you could be honest about where you’re at.”
Jessica said it was hard for her to watch the show because “there were some really cringeworthy moments for me,” but she said she’s reflected on it and apologized to Amber and Barnett for disrespecting their relationship.
“I apologize and I have nothing but the most respect for you both and wish you nothing but the best,” Jessica said at the reunion. “I have no hard feelings toward you at all.”
Amber remained skeptical of Jessica, saying she’s currently having a hard time accepting her apology.
“I accept the intent behind the apology,” she said. “I can't be fully there yet.”