Michelle became a fan favorite on Matt James' season of The Bachelor in 2020 after she arrived as a late addition to the show, managing to still catch Matt's attention and staying to the season finale. After the season's chaotic ending, which involved Chris Harrison's fall from grace and eventual departure as host, producers named Michelle the Bachelorette for the series' 18th season, airing in fall 2021.
Bachelor nation looked forward to Michelle's turn as the Bachelorette. Her down-to-earth nature as an elementary school teacher and former basketball player from Edina, Minnesota, makes her very popular. Michelle's season ended up being pretty chaotic. One contestant, Jamie Skaar, even started rumors that Michelle had started dating another contestant before filming began. Ultimately, she chose Joe Coleman, Brandon Jones, Rodney Mathews, and Nayte Olukoya as her final four men, making history by having all four finalists be people of color. Nayte proposed to Michelle, and all seemed well for the couple until they announced their split in June 2022.
8 Michelle Young And Nayte Olukoya Hit It Off Right Away
Nayte stood out to Michelle from the very beginning of the show. He happened to be the first man to step out of the limo and meet her, sincerely joking about his name and leaving an impression, enough of one to earn the coveted "first impression rose." Beyond getting the first rose of The Bachelorette season, Nayte also opened up about his family to Michelle, and the two even shared a kiss.
7 Drama Between The Men
Throughout the season, Michelle stood up to the guys that seemed to cause drama in the house or weren't there for "the right reasons." There was lots of petty drama between the men, including a row over one guy's pizza restaurant. Other guys were attacking each other about their IQs and height, silly fights over meaningless drama. Nayte navigated a pretty low profile during the season's house drama while Michelle stood her ground.
6 A Controversial Season Ending
As with most endings on The Bachelorette or The Bachelorette, nothing ever goes smoothly during the final episode. Michelle had two great guys to choose from: Nayte and Brandon. Her family adored Brandon because they had already met him in an earlier episode. After meeting Nayte, they made their opinions clear to Michelle and believed that Brandon was the better guy for her. Michelle was conflicted but ultimately followed her heart.
5 The Proposal
Most Bachelor and Bachelorette seasons end with a glamorous proposal even though the couple's usually only been together for a few weeks. Nayte proposed to Michelle in Mexico during the episode that aired on December 21st, 2021. She wore a sparkly silver gown, and the two looked incredibly happy on the edge of the beach. On Instagram, Michelle referred to Nayte as her "SoulNayte."
4 The Two Were 'Very Much In Love' Post-Show
One of the biggest tests for couples who meet on Bachelor shows is figuring out how to make it in the real world, where dates are less glamorous, the relationship is less structured, and there are real-life problems such as balancing work and life. After the final The Bachelorette Season 18 aired in December 2021, Michelle and Nayte were still together, happy and in love.
3 Post-Show Life Together
For six months after the show ended, Michelle and Nayte appeared very happy, posting photos of their vacations and dates together. They even appeared on Celebrity Family Feud. However, long-distance proved difficult. The couple couldn't see each other every weekend and decided they needed more time before moving in together.
2 The Couple Announced Their Breakup In June 2022
Michelle and Nayte's breakup came six months after The Bachelorette finished airing. Michelle announced the split on her Instagram story. She wishes all the best for Nayte and stated that the two were very much in love. Michelle also reported the day after that, she had stepped down from her teaching job, citing difficulties with her dual lives as a teacher and as the Bachelorette.
1 Did Nayte Olukoya Cheat On Michelle Young?
Naturally, rumors started flowing after Michelle and Nayte announced their breakup. Nayte went on his Instagram Live to address the situation about a week after the split. He never cheated on Michelle and reminded viewers, "Not every breakup needs to have someone to blame." He also added that the breakup wasn't the fault of any of their friends. Things simply weren't working for the two, even though they tried after the show concluded.
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