Why didn't Uche attend the 'Love Is Blind' season 5 reunion?
Netflix
- Uche was one of men featured on season five of "Love Is Blind," but he was conspicuously absent from the reunion episode.
- Host Nick Lachey told the other participants that Uche was invited but chose not to attend.
- Here's why the controversial season 5 participant might have skipped the reunion.
Of all the participants on season five of Netflix's reality dating show "Love Is Blind," lawyer and tech company founder Uche Okoroha may be the most outspoken.
Uche formed a connection with Aaliyah in the pods on season five, despite having history with Lydia Velez Gonzalez, Aaliyah's friend and fellow participant, before the show. He and Aaliyah were close to an engagement, until she abruptly left the pods without saying goodbye because of a tense conversation she had with Lydia.
Uche and Aaliyah subsequently attempted to reconnect during a lunch date outside of the pods, but it appeared as though Uche ended the relationship — he's heard saying, "I think it's over between us," with Aaliyah shown responding, "I understand."
Neither Uche nor Aaliyah are featured in the rest of the season, although Aaliyah did return for the "Love Is Blind" reunion episode, which aired Sunday. Lydia and her husband James Milton Johnson IV, aka "Milton," also returned, as did Izzy Zapata, Stacy Snyder, Chris Fox, Johnie Maraist, Taylor Rue, and Jared "JP" Pierce.
Host Nick Lachey told participants that Uche was invited the reunion, but that he chose not to attend. So why didn't he?
Uche appears to be upset with his edit on the show
For starters, Uche claims that he and Aaliyah didn't actually break up during that onscreen lunch. During an Instagram Q&A a few weeks ago, Uche said that the line "it's over between us" was a "post-production soundbyte," implying that he didn't actually say that to Aaliyah in the moment.
He also added that he and Aaliyah forgave one another, held hands, and even kissed during their lunch, and agreed to try dating outside of the show. (Aaliyah also confirmed during the reunion that she and Uche gave their relationship another chance, but that it ultimately didn't work out outside the pods.)
In the same Instagram Q&A, Uche revealed another bombshell: he said that "100%" Lydia followed him onto "Love Is Blind." Uche and Lydia's history was a bit murky, at least as it was discussed on the show, and it proved to be a major turnoff for Aaliyah as she attempted to remain friends with Lydia while also pursuing Uche.
Uche also came under fire by some fans after the first four episodes were released for not disclosing his history with Lydia sooner — but this was something that production required him to do, he later said on Instagram.
Lydia, for her part, says during the reunion that she didn't know if she'd end up running into Uche in the pods. Uche didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
The other participants on the reunion didn't hold back when it came to bad-mouthing Uche
Lydia, Milton, and Aaliyah all reveal in the reunion that they'd been contacted by Uche at some point since the show wrapped filming, despite the fact that Lydia and Milton separately had tense conversations with Uche at the cast barbecue.
Aaliyah also shares that she didn't feel comfortable in her relationship with Uche, and other participants, including Izzy, express their dislike towards Uche.
Considering that everyone in the cast seems to harbor some dislike for him, and that he feels disrespected by his edit on the show, it's not hard to see why Uche decided to sit out the "Love Is Blind" reunion.