Rekindled romance? Naomie Olindo hinted that her spark with ex-boyfriend Craig Conover may resurface on Southern Charm after splitting from Metul Shah.
After news broke in July 2021 that Olindo, 29, and Shah, 30, called it quits amid cheating allegations, fans were quick to ship the TV personality with the Sewing Down South founder, 32.
“Oh, my God, yeah [fans wanted us together],” Olindo said during the Monday, February 7, episode of the “Skinny Confidential Him & Her” podcast. “He’s dating someone who I really like. Paige [DeSorbo] is great.” (Us Weekly confirmed in October 2021 that Conover is dating DeSorbo, 29, after months of speculation.)
The L’Abeye founder noted that she’s “definitely not” going to date Conover again, but when asked whether the chemistry was evident between them when she first became single, she played coy.
“I mean, I don’t know how to answer this. You’ll just have to watch the show, I guess,” Olindo teased. “I aired it all out on there.”
The France native dated Conover for nearly three years before their 2017 split. Fans watched their ups and downs play out on seasons 3 to 6 of Southern Charm. Olindo then dated Shah, announcing in May 2021 that she was moving from Charleston, South Carolina, to New York City to be with him amid his medical fellowship. Olindo confirmed two months later that they were no longer dating.
During her messy split from the doctor, whom she dated for three years, Conover seemingly had her back, commenting in October 2021 on Olindo’s state of mind post-breakup.
“She’s been really happy. I think she’s relieved in a weird way,” the Winter House star said on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen at the time. “And she’s happy to be back in Charleston and things happen for a reason. I don’t think she was that happy in her relationship. But I think she’s just happy to be living her own life again.”
Olindo, for her part, confirmed that she and Conover are cordial one month prior via social media. After a fan asked, “I wonder how she feels [sic] knowing the Craig’s is a complete success?” the Blueprint to Breakup cofounder replied, ““She feels really good and is so so so happy for him!”
On Monday, Olindo revealed that although she was “completely heartbroken” by Shah’s alleged cheating scandal and their breakup, she doesn’t harbor any “hatred” toward him now.
Instead, she explained how her single status led to her Southern Charm return in season 8, which airs later this year.
“[Metul is a] doctor, you know, those two things don’t really go hand in hand, and he was a resident and he needed to apply for fellowships. I was totally willing to give up the show for what I thought to be a healthy and loving relationship, because that’s what I would prioritize over a reality show, obviously,” Olindo explained on the podcast, saying she chose to step back from filming to focus on her romance. “I had no problem doing that, but then when it ended up not being a healthy and loving relationship, I was like, ‘OK, well I’m single,’ [and] the show opens doors for so many opportunities business-wise and stuff.”
The restauranteur admitted that it wasn’t easy to get her spot back on Southern Charm, claiming, “I had to like beg my way back. I was like, ‘Guys, please. I know I quit, and I know I told everybody to f–k off, but please I’m very depressed and I really want to come back. I don’t know what I’m going to do if I’m back in Charleston’ and they’re like, ‘All right.’”
Olindo added that since “everybody already knows what happened” with her split, she didn’t have a “problem sharing it” on camera. “I was like, ‘Why not?’ Just tail tucked between my legs, I was like, ‘Hey, can I come back?’” she concluded.
