Trista Sutter has an explanation, you guys.
The first-ever Bachelorette — one of the VERY few members of Bachelor Nation who actually married and has thus far remained with the winner of her season — is well aware that there are rumors out there about the demise of her marriage.
She seems to understand why, too.
About six months ago, remember, husband Ryan sparked concern on social media with a series of mysterious/troubling posts about his wife of 20 years… who seemed to have gone missing.
What was going on with Sutter?!?
Did she really ditch Ryan and the couple’s kids Maxwell, 17, and Blakesley, 15?!?
No, as it turns out, of course not.
Sutter was away filming season three of the Fox reality series Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test; the cast for this series was revealed on November 15, so now Trista can talk about it.
And shut down all romantic speculation in the process.
“Do you remember when months ago, it was, I feel like in the spring, people were speculating that I was either having a nervous breakdown, that I was dead, or that Ryan and I were getting a divorce, because he posted something that everyone thought was cryptic?” the reality star said in an Instagram Stories video.
“It wasn’t cryptic. I was just away and I was filming Special Forces.”
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test is an American reality quasi-military training television series that premiered on Fox on January 4, 2023 — as described by Wikipedia.
The show pits contestants against harsh environments all around the globe in a shortened training course that is designed to replicate a number of elements of the actual United States Special Forces selection course… which is notoriously challenging and which has even claimed the lives of people who have participated in it.
Sutter went on to say this weekend she “wanted to give kudos to the person that called it before anyone else” in terms of her whereabouts: Ashley Iaconetti.
In May, after Ryan shared the aforementioned posts about spouse, the fellow Bachelor alum had wondered on her and The Bachelor star Ben Higgins’ Almost Famous podcast that Trista may be away filming Special Forces.
She added that she had told her she’d be “perfect” for the program.
“Ashley said, ‘Have you been asked to do Special Forces yet? Because if you haven’t, I think you are going to be the next person from Bachelor Nation who is asked to be on the show,’” Trista said in her Instagram Stories video.
“And this was months before I was even approached about doing the show. I had no inclination that I was going to be part of it.”
The 52-year-old continued:
“I think I probably said to Ashley, ‘Oh my gosh, no way, there’s no way that they would want me to be part of that show.’ But you were so right, Ashley. You are a smarty pants. I’m going to place my bets on whatever Ashley says to do today.”
In addition to Sutten, fellow celebrities such as Stephen Baldwin, Brody Jenner, Denise Richards and Christy Carlson Romano will also star on season three.
“I will be sharing all kinds of stuff about my adventure, my journey,” Trista concluded in her video. “It was such an amazing experience and I cannot wait to see the footage personally and share it with all of you.”