Another Married at First Sight couple has called it quits. Jamie Thompson and Elizabeth “Beth” Bice told fans over the weekend they decided to spend some time away from each other to focus on personal growth. The couple married in 2019 and decided to stay together despite their differences, even marking their fourth wedding anniversary in March.
“A lot of you have been asking and I’ve been avoiding the questions,” Thompson, 39, wrote on Instagram Saturday. “So, I just wanted to share that I’m taking some time away from my wife to focus on myself and my personal growth. It’s not easy, but it’s necessary. Taking this step may be difficult, but I know it’s necessary for me to become the best version of myself. I can’t say what the future holds for Beth and I, but I know I will be a stronger version of myself regardless.”
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In his Instagram Story, Thompson took questions from fans. In one message, he said Bice, 36, was the first one to leave after their fighting got “really bad,” reports Us Weekly. “The fighting had gotten really bad – I’m not going to lie – and I said a lot of things that I really should not have said,” Thompson told fans. “I said them out of anger and frustration. But I also haven’t felt like I’ve had any reciprocation back of how to fix this and how to move forward, so she’s been gone for four weeks. I think at this point it’s better for me to focus on myself and trying to become a better version of myself, honestly.”
Thompson’s separation post was his first Instagram message since back-to-back posts celebrating his marriage. On March 23, he wished Bice a happy anniversary. Five days later, he shared several photos taken throughout their marriage. “Selfie time! … Hold onto the precious things around you. I am seriously grateful for the love and joy this beautiful soul has brought to me over the years,” he wrote on March 27.
Bice has not publicly commented on the split. She also marked their anniversary on March 23, publishing several photos from their relationship. On April 4, she published a video making fun of trolls who comment on her Instagram posts.
In Married at First Sight, relationship experts pair up couples who agree to marry whoever they are matched with. After the wedding, they go on a honeymoon together and live as a couple for eight weeks. Then, the couple can decide if they want to stay together or get divorced. Although Thompson and Bice argued throughout their season, they decided to stay together. They lived in North Carolina when the Lifetime show was filmed, but moved to San Francisco and later Colorado.
Thompson told fans he felt he needed to put up a happy front on social media. However, after their separation began, he realized it was important to take care of himself.
“I knew I needed to take a step back when Beth and I had been apart for three weeks and I really wasn’t getting any sense of desire to fix this,” Thompson said on Instagram. “The only thing I was really hearing coming from her side was blame. And I’m not perfect… but I gotta take care of myself now.”
