Craig Conover and Paige DeSorbo were solid about their relationship and status throughout 2024, prior to calling it quits in December.
Conover, 35, and DeSorbo, 32, exclusively gushed to Us Weekly about each other several times last year before their ultimate break up. The Southern Charm star claimed in September 2024 that they had “figured out” what worked for them, teasing fans would “see us work through it on both shows.”
“It’s really just not letting the unknown of the future ruin our happiness today,” he told Us of the couple’s then-mantra. “And that was a decision that we had to make.”
Conover noted, “Some people might not be able to do that, and sometimes it does get stressful and tough and not being able to have a plan. But in reality, we don’t need to right now.”
Conover and DeSorbo began dating in summer 2021 after getting close during season 1 of Winter House, which filmed earlier that year. Conover shut down split speculation in December 2024, but weeks later, DeSorbo confirmed they separated ahead of the holidays.
While some fans weren’t surprised at the breakup — mainly because Conover lives in Charleston, South Carolina, and DeSorbo resides in New York City — their quotes to Us throughout 2024 painted a happy picture.
Scroll down for more exclusive quotes Conover and DeSorbo said in 2024 about their romance pre-split:
Craig Conover and Paige DeSorbo split after three years of dating, but how did they go from contemplating an engagement to calling it quits? “Craig was ready for the next steps and had plans to propose to Paige. He was really pushing for the next steps and wanted to settle down with her,” a source […]
‘Best Place We’ve Ever Been’
Conover exclusively told Us in June 2024 that he and DeSorbo did “attract negativity” at times for choosing to live apart after three years of dating, but that didn’t deter their romance.
“You really just try to quiet the outside noise with each other,” he explained. “We are in the best place we’ve ever been, which is the goal, right? You want to be stronger today than you were yesterday, and it just works for us.”
Conover noted that after he opened his second Sewing Down South store, this time in Nashville, some people questioned how the couple could juggle another residence.
“We’re just going to break up and meet new people? No,” he said of his plan at the time. “With FaceTime and with effort and the ease of our travel, we’re fortunate that we can fly when we want, and we make it work. And we’re both happier in this relationship than we ever have been in the past.”
The Bees-Knees
Conover detailed his and DeSorbo’s “rhythm” during an exclusive interview in June 2024, noting that many people are surprised that they were just nearing the three-year mark.
“We’ve just really hit a great spot. I mean everyone has different stages. You have your year of partying and everything [time frame], having fun, but then you’re like, ‘Well wait, is this our life forever?’” he recalled. “And then there was definitely a come-to-Jesus moment, but I was just like, ‘Well, yeah, I want to be a dad one day.’ I guess I had some growing up to do.”
The entrepreneur explained that DeSorbo was “really supportive” and “patient” as he navigated those growing pains. “I finally started to walk the walk instead of just talk the talk,” he shared, adding that he couldn’t wait to “see everything that she accomplishes.”
The fear is real. Paige DeSorbo broke into tears while talking about her future with Craig Conover after the two didn’t see eye to eye on an engagement date. “I want to talk to you about us,” Craig, 34, told his girlfriend, Paige, 30, during the Monday, April 10, episode of Summer House, joking, “Will […]
Despite their busy schedules — DeSorbo toured with Hannah Berner for their “Giggly Squad” podcast most of the year — Conover said they always found time to unwind together.
“She gets to come down here and just float in the pool and just relax. We’ve got our bees — she was down yesterday, and we got our new bees and we’re hanging out with them,” he gushed. “And then we get to go up to the city and live the New York City lifestyle. And for us it works.”
No Pressure Here
DeSorbo exclusively told Us in August 2024 that neither her nor Conover’s parents ever questioned their timeline. “I think our families are the only people that have never, like, pressured us or even asked really,” she explained. “My parents have not asked, like, ‘Oh, when are you getting engaged?’ His parents haven’t either. So as long as they’re not pressuring us, I don’t feel pressured.”
The Summer House star added that while her fans did ask about their future often it didn’t bug her “at all.” She said, “It is a normal natural question to just be like, ‘Oh, when are you getting engaged?’ So no, I would never take offense to it.”
Toying With the Idea of a TV Wedding
DeSorbo revealed to Us in August 2024 that when she was younger, she was “obsessed” with The Kardashians. She confessed that when Kim Kardashian didn’t televise her wedding to Kanye West she was “so mad,” which is why she has been so open about her relationship with Conover since they went public.
Because of her own strong feelings about Kardashian’s unaired wedding, she told Us she would feel like she was a “hypocrite” if she didn’t televise her and Conover’s eventual nuptials. “Because I was so mad at Kim that day,” she teased.
We Don’t Have to ‘Pick’
Conover didn’t worry about the physical distance between him and DeSorbo toward the end of their romance. “With our ability to travel and technology, we’re very fortunate to be able to spend, you know, half our time in New York and the other half in Charleston,” he told Us in September 2024. “They’re two great places to live.”
He revealed that “until we have kids and they have to go to school” the then-couple didn’t “have to pick a place” to live.
Conover admitted, “I could go date someone that lived in Charleston and have that structure, but it wouldn’t be the right person.” He pointed to DeSorbo as his ideal match. “I think finding the right person is the hard part, and then figuring out the rest will just come in time,” he concluded.