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Newlyweds' Jeff and Blair Open Up About Their Split
The stars of Season 1 reveal the painful reasons for their breakup.
On last night's episode of Newlyweds The First Year Where Are They Now, viewers got to catch up with the stars of our hit docu-series nearly two years since the show's premiere.
Most of the couples are still going strong, but Blair and Jeff revealed they had decided to end their domestic partnership since wrapping up Season 1.
What drove the couple to break up—and how are they coping since their split? The Daily Dish caught up with the two below.
Jeff Pedersen
What's life like been for you since appearing on Season 1 of Newlyweds?
Big change in my life. Blair and I decided to break off our domestic partnership. We tried to salvage what we could of our relationship, however, we came to the conclusion that we were just not capable of resolving our differences.
How have you coped since your marriage ended? What were the biggest challenges in your partnership?
I have been doing a great deal of soul-searching over the last six months. I am working on myself and learning to trust my instincts. The biggest struggle for me and the greatest challenge was the difficulty in dealing with Blair’s outbursts and immaturity. I lacked the tools in dealing with this behavior in a constructive manner.
What was the experience like watching such an intimate part of your life (marriage) unfold on national television?
I am so proud to have been given the opportunity to share the ups and downs of a partnership. I think Blair and I were able to show the world that everyone goes through the same struggles in a relationship, e.g. money issues, sex, etc., whether you are heterosexual, homosexual, lesbian, or transgender.
What are the biggest lessons you've learned about marriage? What are the biggest misconceptions people have about marriage?
I have learned that a marriage needs nurturing, support, and love to make it grow. Relationships are work, but the rewards are well worth it. The biggest misconception people have is opposites may attract, which may be true, but they don’t last. You really need to know a person before you marry them. If you meet the right person, marriage can be happy, rewarding, and long-lasting. I have witnessed it in my own life through my friend’s marriages. To me, life is more fulfilling if you can share it with someone else, which is why I will never stop searching for my soul mate.
Are you involved in a relationship currently? If so, with whom? How has your first marriage shaped your approach to relationships going forward?
I am currently spending time with my dog Scarlet, my family, and my friends for the most part. I have rekindled my relationship with my parents and see them monthly. I have gone on a couple of dates, however, not sure I am ready to submerge myself into anything at this time. I have been in several long term relationships and each time they ended, I got back on the horse and put myself out there again with little to no effects. Since my domestic partnership, I have definitely noticed that I am a lot more cautious now and I am not so quick to react on impulse.
Blair Late
What's life like been for you since appearing on Season 1 of Newlyweds?
Life has been pretty good! The outpouring of love and support surrounding our initial first year of marriage was inspiring and humbling. Life has also been difficult as far as the ending of my relationship with Jeff. Every day gets easier. But, not a day goes by without a fond memory of Jeff, a laugh, a smirk, mixed with some not-so-fond memories as well. It’s just part of the process, I suppose. But I am proud of who I am in this present moment and will never stop dreaming of what is to come!
How have you coped since your marriage ended? What were the biggest challenges in your partnership?
Praying, meditating, training for marathons, experiencing new people and things, reconnecting with old friends, making new ones, surrounding myself with love and positivity, laughing, crying, reading, drinking, shopping, celebrating, dreaming, family, traveling, therapy and working hard!
The biggest challenges were the fact that we are very different people, with very different views on marriage/partnership/friendship. I believe our opposite personality traits are what brought us together, but the same traits also tore us apart.
I see Jeff as “the great love of my life,” the Noah to my Allie in The Notebook. We loved hard but even fought harder...and truthfully, I have come to realize that I need someone in my life more stable. So if I was living in The Notebook I think in hindsight I would have chosen “Lon” aka James Marsden, the classy, kind, gentleman, junior senator…that’s just more my style! If only it was that simple….ha!
What was the experience like watching such an intimate part of your life (marriage) unfold on national television?
It was an amazing experience. I have zero regrets. I am who I am. But ask anyone who “knows” me and/or Jeff and what we are really like. I was totally ME on the show, 100%, but Jeff and his friends would always say, “that’s not the Jeff we know…”. I think people would be surprised to see the true Jeff….he’s just as opinionated, passionate and dramatic as me!
What are the biggest lessons you've learned about marriage? What are the biggest misconceptions people have about marriage?
I have learned that marriage isn’t the key to life’s success. You must 100% love yourself before loving anyone else and I am still trying to regain that 100% I once owned. If I were to ever give my heart to someone else I would have to be lifted up by them as much as I know I am capable of doing the same. Marriage may seem 50/50 but I've learned its more 80/20, so I must prepare for that if that’s what I truly want.
Are you involved in a relationship currently? If so, with whom? How has your first marriage shaped your approach to relationships going forward?
I’m involved with the lord, work, family and friends. I am open to new relationships in the future, but am pretty emotionally dried up at the moment and have certainly put a wall up. I am in no rush!
I am torn between the idea that marriage is WORK and how much WORK is it worth? Is it WORK only when you chose to be with someone who doesn’t see the world the way you do? Or was I just with the wrong person, and if the “right” one comes along it will still involve WORK, just not as much? I am still trying to figure that out.
I will say I no longer believe “opposites attract,” I feel that I am personally better equipped to be with someone who comes from a similar background and has similar goals, aspirations and interests, and that is an approach I will take moving forward.
