Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray just changed her ‘in a relationship’ status to ‘single’ as she admits that she and model Clint Bondad parted ways after being together for six years.
Catriona dropped the bomb on Friday night, February 22, in an interview with Tonight With Boy Abunda (TWBA).
“Yes or no lamang. Cat, kayo pa ba ni Clint Bondad (Just answer yes or no. Cat, are you still together with Clint Bondad)?” the show’s host, Boy Abunda, asked.
Responding to this, Catriona said, “Hindi na po (Not anymore).”
Even before the recently concluded Miss Universe competition, the beauty queen revealed that she and Clint were already going through difficult times. But despite this, she said her ex-boyfriend still voiced his support to her all throughout the pageant.
“It was really hard going to the competition with that happening all at the same time but I had to keep reminding myself, ‘this is a once in a lifetime opportunity I need to give my best why am I here, I want to represent the Philippines well,'” she said.
When a relationship collapses, one of the first questions people ask is the reason behind the breakup. The Miss Universe did not give specify details but said that she and Clint “kind of outgrow each other in a way.”
“When you’re together for so long and you started from a young age, you grow whether that be in your personal or your career or whatever,” the 24-year-old Filipino-Australian told Tito Boy.
Catriona also refused to answer the question of whether or not her heart still beats for Clint, instead, she expressed gratitude to her former beau for the time they shared together.
She added that she prefers to retain her single status for now after being with someone for years.
“Being in a 6-year relationship from the age of 18, I’ve never been a young adult, especially a young growing Christian also in that season of singleness,” Catriona explained, believing that it is vital for someone to get to know themselves more and build their own identity.
“I just want to take that time. I mean being a Miss Universe for a year is an amazing experience and I just want to be able to grow in that kind of season as Miss Universe,” she continued.
Rumors about her breakup with the model fueled after Catriona chose the crown over her love life when she was asked to pick between the two in an interview with ABS-CBN reporter Mario Dumaual, following her homecoming press conference in Quezon City last Wednesday.
The beauty queen, who arrived in the country last week, had her metro-wide homecoming parade on Thursday, February 21, where she was greeted by a large crowd gathered in the streets to catch a glimpse of her.