All is fair in love and reality TV. Jason Oppenheim broke down over his relationship with Chrishell Stause in Netflix’s first look at the Selling Sunset season 5 reunion.
“Was it a showmance for you? Or was it real?” host Tan France bluntly asked Jason, 45, about his whirlwind romance with Chrishell, 40, in the Thursday, May 5, teaser. (The duo went public with their relationship in summer 2021, but things fizzled out before the new year.)
The Oppenheim Group cofounder appeared uncomfortable with the comment, replying, “I hesitate to answer that question. I don’t want to give it any credence. … It’s a stupid question to me.”
He added, “I don’t feel the need to explain to people [what happened],” before getting choked up over the “meaningful” relationship he had with the former soap opera star.
“Sorry, I just need a second,” Jason said while clearing his throat and trying to hold back tears.
Chrishell, for her part, seemed emotional over the topic as the camera panned to her wiping tears from her cheek.
“Do you need a hug, babe?” Mary Fitzgerald, who dated Jason years before the reality show began, said as her boss regained his composure.
The University of California, Berkley alum’s twin brother, Brett Oppenheim, sat beside him during the chat, giving him a nudge of support during the challenging conversation.
Jason eventually confessed that “there’s been a lot of sadness and loss” following his and Chrishell’s breakup.
“I think watching the show made it more difficult [and] brought it back up,” Jason told the Queer Eye star, 39, at the reunion. “It’s been a few months, but I’m still just going through stuff.”
He concluded: “I think there was a lot of love between us and there still is and I still care about her very much. This has been a very difficult breakup.”
Season 5 of the reality show hit Netflix last month and focused heavily on the former couple’s romance. Ahead of the premiere, Jason exclusively told Us Weekly why his split from the Kentucky native wasn’t caught on camera.
“It was an extremely difficult time and it was, I think, a conscious decision that we were not filmed together,” he said. “I wasn’t comfortable. I mean, it was a very difficult time.”
The real estate guru added: “I think it’s gonna be a longer process than I anticipated. … I’m doing my best, but it is a bit raw still. … I love her still. I always will. And she’s a great woman, you know?”
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Selling Sunset’s season 5 reunion special hits Netflix on Friday, May 6.
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