‘Love Is Blind’: Mark Cuevas Denies He Had Girlfriend While Filming Netflix Dating Series

After having rumors lobbed at him that he was secretly in a relationship when filming Love is Blind, series star Mark Cuevas is refuting them outright. Appearing on the Be There in Five podcast, the star of the Netflix reality series said there’s no claim to the rumors whatsoever.

“I did not have a girlfriend the whole time,” he said on the podcast, via PEOPLE. “I was single before [going on the show]. Now, being a single man, you’re single, you’re doing your thing. I’d never had a girlfriend before.”

Cuevas then asked, “Where was the time to be in a relationship during the experience?”

Love is Blind chronicled Cuevas as he fell in love with fellow contestant Jessica Batten. However, the show’s premise meant that the two dated and got engaged without ever seeing one another. Their relationship crumbled after they met in person and moved in together, with Cuevas bailing on the wedding while at the altar.

He added that some of the confusion may have come from the fact that the series was filmed two years before premiering on Netflix back in February.

“I never had a girlfriend during,” he clarified. “I had a girlfriend after the experience. I will say that. This is way after the experience, a couple [of] months. I was still figuring out what the hell happened, and then I jumped into a relationship, you do that.”

As far as his relationship with Batten, Cuevas said the two have each moved on.

“We ended up breaking up before the show came out. No hard feelings, it just didn’t work out. Anybody you date, they teach you so much. I’m thankful for Jess, I’m thankful for all of my past relationships. I just take that in stride.”

On Thursday, a reunion special featuring the show’s cast was released, which also revealed that while Giannina Gibelli and Damian Powers didn’t make it in the series finale as a couple, the two rekindled their relationship after the fact.

“We’re getting to know each other at our own pace which is so refreshing,” Gibelli said. “It hurt so much but it’s all about what can I do with that and what did I learn from that.”

Powers added that he wished he “could take the pain away from her on that day and the hurt, the embarrassment to her family, friends.”

Every episode of Love is Blind is available to stream on Netflix now.