Country singer Lauren Alaina touched on her breakup with John Crist during Monday night’s episode of Dancing With The Stars, just days after Crist was accused of sexual misconduct. After the allegations surfaced, Netflix put the Christian comedian’s upcoming special “on hold.” Meanwhile, Alaina survived another night on DWTS, reaching next week’s semi-finals.
“I am single for the first time as an adult, so I am not trying to hurry love. I will say that I am enjoying it,” Alaina said during her pre-dance video.
Videos by PopCulture.com
“I went through a breakup two weeks before I came on this show,” she later said. “Kind of a crazy time, but being on Dancing with the Stars has been the perfect recipe for healing my broken heart. This show has been like my new boyfriend. I’m dating Dancing with the Stars and it’s going great.”
Alanina was engaged to Alex Hopkins, but they ended their six-year relationship in January. The 25-year-old then began dating Crist. She announced her break-up with Crist just hours before the DWTS Season 28 premiere in late September.
After performing her first dance, host Tom Bergeron asked Alaina if she was really dating the show.
“I am… It’s going great!” Alaina joked. She later told Bergeron she “had a little bit of a bad day last week.”
Last week, Charisma News published a report including multiple allegations of sexual misconduct from five women. The outlet reported that Crist “exploited his Christian reputation and platform to harass, manipulate and exploit young women over the last seven years.” The allegations included sexting multiple women at the same time, attempting to start sexual relationships with married women, offering show tickets in exchange for “sexual favors” and calling the women while drunk.
Crist responded with a statement, admitting that “various women have accused me of behavior that has been hurtful to them.”
“While I am not guilty of everything I’ve been accused of, I confess to being guilty of this — I have treated relationships with women far too casually, in some cases even recklessly. My behavior has been destructive and sinful,” Crist said. “I’ve sinned against God, against women and the people who I love the most. I have violated my own Christian beliefs, convictions and values, and have hurt many people in the process. I am sorry for the hurt and pain I have caused these women and will continue to seek their forgiveness.”
Crist said he sought treatment for his “sexual sin and addiction struggles.”
The comedian canceled the rest of his 2019 tour dates. His Netflix special was later put “on hold” after the allegations surfaced.
As for Alaina, she is one of the five remaining celebrity contestants competing for the Mirrorball Trophy. Ally Brooke, Hannah Brown, Kel Mitchell and James Van Der Beek are still in the competition.
DWTS airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Photo credit: ABC/Eric McCandless
