By Jessica Wedemeyer
9:39am PDT, Sep 17, 2020
Wonderwall.com is taking a look back at the stars who found love, suffered heartbreak or experienced some other major event in their love lives in mid-September 2020, starting with this surprising news… Us Weekly reported on Sept. 16 that Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are going through a rough patch in their relationship as they move into their new home in the Los Angeles area. "They feel suffocated and stressed," said a source. "They're both stretched to the limit. … Friends say this move has turned into a nightmare. This is the toughest period they've had so far without a doubt." They're not in jeopardy of calling it quits, though: "They know how to compromise," said the insider, noting that the duo typically "work through any tension and look at the bigger picture." Whatever was going on behind the scenes, the pair appeared perfectly in sync while performing together during the 2020 ACM Awards on Sept. 16. Now keep reading for more of the week's biggest celeb love life updates…
RELATED: Celeb splits of 2020
Cardi B filed to divorce Offset in Atlanta on Sept. 15. She noted in her legal paperwork that the marriage is "irretrievably broken" and that "there are no prospects for a reconciliation." According to People magazine, she recently discovered that the Migos rapper strayed from the marriage … again. The power couple, who secretly tied the knot in 2017, briefly split in late 2018 amid a cheating scandal, only to reconcile in early 2019. "Offset has pretty much cheated the entire time [they've been together], but Cardi looked the other way because of [their daughter]," said a People source. "She also didn't want to be embarrassed. But she's had enough." Echoed an Us Weekly source, "Cardi trusted Offset when they were first married. Even after all of his infidelities, she decided to give him another chance." However, as time passed, there were "too many women coming forward" with cheating allegations, and she just "couldn't take" any more. "[She] isn't the type of woman to turn a blind eye to cheating claims when it's brought right in front of her face," added the insider, noting that although there's "such a deep love" between Cardi and Offset and their "lives are so intertwined," there "does not seem to be a chance for reconciliation." Earlier this month, Cardi alluded to the breakup on her Instagram Story, sharing a meme reading, "Her heart finally told her to stop wasting her time." She added below the quote, "It's time."
RELATED: Notorious celeb cheating scandals
New couple or longtime pals? Emilia Clarke and Matt Smith, who co-starred in 2015's "Terminator Genisys," sparked romance rumors when they stepped out for dinner in London on Sept. 11. (See photos here.) In July, the "Games of Thrones" actress was linked to assistant director Tom Turner, while the former star of "The Crown" split from off-and-on love Lily James earlier this year.
RELATED: New celeb couples of 2020
People magazine reported on Sept. 16 that, according to a source, Katie Holmes is "very into" her new boyfriend, Emilio Vitolo. "She keeps texting Emilio all day long and he loves it. He can't get enough of her attention," said the source, adding that the chef is "very charming, flirty" and "it's easy to see how Katie fell for him."
Us Weekly reported on Sept. 10 that Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly are getting more and more serious, but they're not talking about taking the next step in their relationship … yet. "[They] aren't seriously talking about getting engaged, married or having kids right now and they're not there yet. It's too soon for everyone, both of their kids and Brian [Austin Green] included," said a source. "They are definitely super into each other. MGK is obsessed with Megan." The "Transformers" actress, meanwhile, can be "hot and heavy with [MGK] one day and cold the next," said the insider, adding that she likes to keep her new beau "guessing." Continued the source of the new couple, "They've had a 'thing' since they met and this natural born connection, which is why they're so attracted to one another. She loves his swagger and personality and he loves how much she understands him and of course, he finds her to be drop dead gorgeous." MGK has even met the three sons Megan shares with her estranged husband, who is "pretty protective" of their boys. As for the former teen heartthrob, "Megan and Brian's relationship is so up and down. They have been co-parenting in a healthy way as best as they can," said the source. According to a second Us Weekly source, "Brian isn't devastated by their split anymore, as they have been through breakups and splits a few times now. He doesn't care that Megan and MGK have been flaunting their relationship publicly and is trying to focus on his own life and obviously dating a few other girls in public himself. He's not taking it personally." Continued the insider of the breakup, "Megan cut the cord with Brian and was just over it. It had to do with her meeting MGK, but both of them know it was finally time to call it off. Brian is happy and is enjoying not having to deal with constant drama."
On Sept. 11, Cassie Randolph filed for a restraining order against Colton Underwood. Later that day, Us Weekly reported that, according to a source, the former couple hasn't spoken "in a month" and Colton was "completely blindsided" by his ex's decision to take legal action against him. "He's been in Colorado and this was all a surprise," said the source, who went on to shed some light on what went wrong between the Bachelor Nation reality stars. "Colton was absolutely in love with Cassie. It was clear she did not feel the same way about him, which of course, upset him. It was really hard for him," said the insider. "She literally broke up with him as soon as he was healthy enough to move out [after recovering from COVID-19]." The Colton-friendly source then alleged that Cassie initially attempted to "reinforce" the narrative that she and Colton were on good terms following their breakup because she was "very nervous about losing her fanbase." In her petition for a restraining order, Cassie claimed that Colton accused her of seeing an ex-boyfriend. According to the Us Weekly source, she was "in touch with her ex," Caelan Tiongson, while she and Colton "were together" and "seeing him after they broke up."
During an interview with DailyMailTV that debuted online on Sept. 16, Brandi Glanville alleged that Denise Richards aggressively pursued her. She also claimed that she and the "Starship Troopers" actress first hooked up much earlier than initially believed: in the bathroom at a restaurant in Malibu during a dinner arranged by their mutual agent in September 2018 — just 10 days after Denise and Aaron Phypers tied the knot. "She just kind of threw me against the wall and started making out with me," Brandi claimed. "And I was down for it, I honestly didn't mind. I was like, OK, what are we doing, but this is fun. … We were drunk and it's not the first time I've made out with a friend or a girl. I was flattered, it was a compliment. She's a beautiful girl. She's Denise Richards." After another round of drinks, Denise allegedly told Brandi, "Oh my God, I always wanted to [hook up with] you." They ended up making out again in the bathroom … and then again in Denise's car. "Before we left she was like, 'Oh my God, I hope that you would never tell anyone about this, my personal life is my personal life. I trust you,'" Brandi claimed. "To me it was not a big deal, two girls getting drunk and making out, but of course I didn't know she was married at this point, she never mentioned Aaron once." After that first meeting, Denise became "very sexually aggressive," Brandi alleged. "It was nonstop from her after the first night we met. She wanted to finish what she started, that's how I felt. She was literally texting me every single day. 'Oh, I'm in your neighborhood, can I just come over? Can I come over? I need to see you.'" Brandi avoided Denise at first, she claimed: "I just didn't want to be alone with her, because I felt that she had a lot of dude energy, like she really wanted me," she said. "I felt almost like it was a guy that wanted to hit it and quit it. Like he wanted to get what he wanted, but this was Denise. … All I wanted was a new friend that I liked, that was cool and drank. I really was not looking for any kind of sexual partner, I felt like I was running from her." Eventually, the two women reconnected in November 2018 on the set of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." After they wrapped shooting, Aaron joined them for drinks. "All night we talked about sex and how he was OK as long as she was with a girl, she could never be with a guy," Brandi alleged, adding that the newlyweds asked her if she could help them "get other women to come into their marriage and into their bed." Noted Brandi, "It was an interesting conversation and it just made me feel like, OK, these are very sexual people that are very open." She then echoed her previous claims about hooking up with Denise during a trip to Northern California, where Denise was shooting a film, in April 2019: "I did feel a little bit like it was her way of finally getting me alone," she alleged. "It's not that I didn't like Denise, I just didn't want to have sex with her." During the trip, Brandi ended up making out with Denise's co-star and ex Patrick Muldoon. "Patrick and I were just being silly and we started kissing. I think in a weird way, I was making out with him just to put off having to make out with Denise," she claimed, adding that Patrick told her, "Brandi, I dated the girl for five years, I know she likes girls." The following night, the two women rounded the bases. "I wasn't [into it], I just didn't want to do it," Brandi claimed. "It's not that I don't think she's a beautiful, attractive woman. I just put myself in a situation that I didn't want to be in." The morning after, Denise allegedly told Brandi, "[If Aaron] ever finds out, he's gonna kill me. He can never find out." Said Brandi, "I literally did a double take and I was silent for a few minutes. I am not good with secrets. They make me uncomfortable. … And as far as I was aware Aaron was 1 million percent aware that Denise and I made out the first night we met because we talked about it. … He also knew I was going to Mendocino and I was sleeping in the same bed as her, so I was shocked by what she was saying." Ultimately, Brandi came to the conclusion "that Aaron wouldn't care less about it but this was her way of having something over me and making sure I never talk about it to anyone else."
Meanwhile, Us Weekly reported that, according to a source close to Denise Richards, Brandi Glanville's version of events "never happened." Said the source, "This is just a complete fabrication and pure desperation by Brandi. … Brandi is obsessed with Denise and keeping her name in the press." The insider went on to say that if Denise "would have owned this if it had ever happened" because she is "very open about her sexuality and has nothing to hide."
During a Sept. 11 appearance on "On-Air With Ryan Seacrest," Jaden Smith cleared up recent rumors claiming his relationship with Sofia Richie has turned romantic: "Me and Sofia have been friends for like 10 years," he said. "We've been going to the beach pretty consistently for 10 years too. But, yeah, we're just homies and we love each other."
Us Weekly reported on Sept. 16 that, according to a source, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom have put their wedding plans on hold in the wake of their daughter's birth. "[Their] wedding will not be taking place in 2020," said a source. "It just wasn't meant to be. Their beautiful daughter arrived and she is their sole focus. Planning for any wedding has been put on hold. It will happen, but it's just not something they are focused on as a couple currently."
Pink took to Instagram on Sept. 14 to open up about how couples counseling has strengthened her marriage to Carey Hart: "He's still my favorite sweet little dirtball," she captioned a photo of herself embracing the motocross star. "He and I have been at this a long time, and it is our relentless and stubborn idealism that keeps us together. Marriage is awful, wonderful, comfort and rage. It is boring, terrifying, and a total nail biter. It is loving another fallible creature while trying to love yourself. It is a lifetime of coming back to the table. People laugh at us because we're either fighting or laughing. They roll their eyes when we talk about therapy. But I'll tell you what. It's worth it. All of it. Even when it isn't. Therapy isn't for weak people or hippies or liberals. It's for broken people that want to be whole. It's for runaways that want a family. It's a lesson on how to sit down and listen. How to love yourself so that the other person can, too. I love you babe. I'm grateful we made it to this photo."
TMZ reported on Sept. 15 that Kacey Musgraves and Ruston Kelly are very close to legally ending their marriage: The duo, who both agree their prenup is valid, recently settled their divorce. The biggest takeaway? They've agreed to sell their martial home, with Kacey banking 84.4% of the proceeds. Ruston, meanwhile, will walk away from the marriage with the remaining 15.6%.
Al Roker took to Instagram on Sept. 16 to celebrate his 25th wedding anniversary with Deborah Roberts. "A #happy25thanniversary to @debrobertsabc who helps me a better #father #brother #person and challenges me to do better each and every day. #thankyou and #iloveyou," the "Today" show weatherman captioned a video from their wedding day. In a second post, he joked that "everyone knows" he "#marriedup" when he wed the ABC News Network Correspondent. Deborah, meanwhile, shared a slideshow of photos from their 1995 nuptials. "Dear Sweet Hubby, I remember this magical moment of pure joy (almost) like it was yesterday. It couldn't possibly have been 25 years ago. Could it?? 25 years of love, laughter, peaks, valleys, discovery, bewilderment, bliss, struggle and all that this journey offers. But through it all we've tried to remember those beautiful and profound words spoken at our wedding. 'Love is patient, love is kind…it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.' Today I celebrate all that love has allowed. Happy Anniversary my sweet, kind, generous, hilarious and real soulmate," she wrote in the caption.
Off again! Ray J filed to divorce Princess Love in Los Angeles on Sept. 14. According to The Blast, he's asking for joint custody of their two children — and for the court to adhere to the terms of their prenuptial agreement. It's been a tumultuous year for the duo: The mother of two first filed for divorce in May, but then in July, she asked to have her divorce petition dismissed, indicating that she and Ray had reconciled. During a Sept. 15 interview with "Entertainment Tonight," the "Sexy Can I" singer opened up about the split: "I love her and I love my babies," he said of Princess, adding that his estranged missus "knows how I feel about her." Explained Ray, "I want to make sure everybody is happy, that everybody enjoys life and that this can help her smile more and enjoy who she is and enjoy her life. You know, sometimes it's the best thing to do. … It's still so early, I really don't know what's going to happen, how it happens, but I just want to make sure that my babies and my Princess is in a great place mentally and that they can enjoy life. … My wife, if there's somebody better out there that she wants to be with, then I have to respect that as well. But hey, I don't know… I can't say too much, but I love you, Princess. That's what I can say." He went on to say that he and Princess plan to continue their professional relationship. He also left the door open for a possible reconciliation: "Even if we don't make it, we still have to be with each other a lot, because we have a baby, so we're together for life," he said. "We'll just have to wait and see [what the future holds], but I want to make sure that they're in a good space, and that she's in a great space throughout this journey as parents as well. … It's important for us to be great parents first. Then relationships flow after."
Jennifer Esposito took to Instagram on Sept. 13 to reveal that she recently married her love of four years, windsurfing champ and fitness trainer Jesper Vesterstrøm. She captioned a slideshow of photo from their wedding day with three emojis: an engagement ring, a champagne bottle and a heart. The "NCIS" actress was previously married to actor Bradley Cooper and to British model Louis Dowler.
Savannah Chrisley took to Instagram on Sept. 15 to announce that she and Nic Kerdiles have called it quits after putting their wedding plans on hold earlier this year. "Oh how I wish this smile was on my face and that infectious laugh was spewing out of my body right now…but sadly it's not," she captioned a photo of herself and the former hockey star in happier times. "Nic and I have decided to call it quits. There's no hatred between the two of us…and in all honesty…that makes saying goodbye even harder. We have nothing but love, respect, and admiration for one another but it's time for us to move forward individually. These past 3 years have been some of the best years of my life…but I have to trust that God has a far greater purpose for my life…I believe that He will take this hardship and make something beautiful out of it." The following day, Nic also took to Instagram to address the split: "This woman right here has been the BIGGEST blessing in my life. She has the purest heart out of anyone that I know. She has treated me with nothing but love and respect in our 3 years together. No one other than our families know everything we've gone through in the last 3 years and for that, I ask to respect that privacy. There was so much genuine love in this relationship and I'm truly blessed to have been able to spend three years of my life with Savannah. I still look at her as the type of woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. She is everything one could want in a mother, daughter, wife and friend. I love you kid to the moon and back and God has a plan for us!" he captioned a slideshow of photos. The duo got engaged in early 2019 and were originally set to wed in May 2020.
"Downton Abbey" star Jessica Brown Findlay took to Instagram on Sept. 14 to reveal that she and "Harlots" actor Ziggy Heath tied the knot in London two days earlier. "[Love] wins every time. A weekend of dreams. Small celebrations felt HUGE," she captioned a slideshow of photos, including a shot from her wedding day. The newlyweds reportedly connected on the set of "Harlots" in 2017. It's unclear when they got engaged.
On Sept. 16, Vogue broke the news that early last month, "Dynasty" star Elizabeth Gillies quietly married producer-composer Michael Corcoran on a farm in New Jersey. The bride's father officiated the Aug. 8 nuptials, which were attended by just nine other people.
When reality TV worlds collide! On Sept. 10, former Bachelor Nation villain Chad Johnson was caught on camera making out with realtor Jen Harley — "Jersey Shore" star Ronnie Ortiz-Magro's off-and-on love of several years — at a restaurant in Las Vegas. According to TMZ, which published photos and video of the PDA fest, the duo actually met through Ronnie, who's friendly with Chad, and then "hit it off recently at a lunch." Jen's rep later released a statement to TMZ addressing the hookup: "Jen Harley is not dating Chad or anyone for that matter. Jen is only friends with Chad and had met up with him to show him a house earlier that day for sale," said the rep. "Jen had not had anything to eat all day, she was drinking alcohol at the club and was extremely intoxicated. Jen does not remember anything in the video and is disgusted and embarrassed by her actions. Jen feels she was set up by Chad and his friends who were clearly taking videos to sell to the press." Chad, meanwhile, told TMZ that Jen's allegations are "crazy ridiculous." He also alleged that Jen's the one who actually said "send [the video] to TMZ" and that she admitted "her manager made that [stuff] up just to, like, save face or something." He confirmed that they met up because he's looking for property in Las Vegas. He acknowledged that things "got a little wild" but characterized the headline-making dinner as just "a regular night out." Jen then fired back to TMZ, insisting that she never would've kissed Chad if she'd been sober.
The Sept. 13 episode of "The Real Housewives of Potomac" showed Ashley Darby confronting a fresh round of allegations that her husband, Michael Darby, strayed from their marriage. At the time, she expressed doubt that the allegations were true, insisting that things between them were going "well." She then revealed that she frequently spies on her hubby to make sure his fidelity is intact: "I don't just ask questions," she said. "I read emails, text messages. I sniff underwear — everything." Ashley later said on "Watch What Happens Live" that when she was pregnant with their first child, son Dean, she was "super sensitive," "very jealous" and "a little more insecure" about their relationship. So is she worried about Michael straying now that she's pregnant again with their second child? "I'd be lying if I said that I didn't have a little bit of something in the back of my mind," she told host Andy Cohen on Sept. 13. "But Michael has been just the most supportive husband over these last few months. He's really gone out of his way to show me that he's remorseful and that he wants to rebuild our marriage and rebuild our trust."
During a Sept. 9 interview with "Entertainment Tonight," Betty Who revealed that she and Zak Cassar recently tied the knot. "Honestly, we have been waiting to have a big wedding because we want to do it right and do it fancy," said the Australian singer-songwriter. "I just have to be so much more rich to throw a fierce fabulous wedding that I can actually afford. … But we just felt like it was the right thing to just lock it down. So if we want to travel, we're together, we have each other's rights and everything. We just want to feel safe and know that we can take care of each other." The duo got engaged in November 2017.
Professional wrestler and Bachelor Nation alum Kenny King — who competed for Rachel Lindsay's heart on season 13 of "The Bachelorette" in 2017 and then briefly appeared on season 5 of "Bachelor in Paradise" — took to Instagram on Sept. 12 to announce that he proposed to his girlfriend of nearly two years, hairstylist and makeup artist London Ferris, on a boat in Southern California's Big Bear Lake. "Perfect time, perfect place, perfect person. She said yes!" he captioned a slideshow depicting the proposal. As for Rachel, she recently reconnected with a different former suitor…
On the Sept. 15 episode of her "Bachelor Happy Hour" podcast with Becca Kufrin, Rachel Lindsay revealed that she recently "communicated with Peter Kraus" for the first time since their "After the Final Rose" special following season 13 of "The Bachelorette" in 2017. "We're adults here, we can all move on," said the former reality star, who ultimately chose her now-husband, Bryan Abasolo, over Peter. They reconnected on social media after Peter reached out to ask some question about the Black Lives Matter movement, Rachel said. "We almost hit that follow button, but it would just turn into something that it shouldn't," she said. "I still get messages that tell me, 'You were really into Peter.' It's like, guys, I'm married now. I just celebrated [our first] anniversary. It's sad because we were like, 'It's probably not a good idea to hit that follow button.'" Becca, meanwhile, said she's not ready to date yet following her recent split from Garrett Yrigoyen: "I'm 30. I'm ready to maybe be OK with not having to throw all my eggs in one basket, per se — just kind of enjoy the experience that life and dating have to offer," she said on the podcast.
Us Weekly reported on Sept. 16 that Chrishell Stause isn't totally over her sudden split from Justin Hartley. "It still stings that Justin blindsided her like that, but the way Chrishell sees it, that's something Justin has to live with. Her conscience is totally clear," said a source, adding that losing both her husband and her mother — who died in July 2019 following a battle with cancer — in the same year "were devastating blows" to Chrishell. She's doing her best to move on from the pain, though: "Chrishell has this amazing ability to bounce back from tough situations even when the odds are stacked against her," said the insider.
On the Sept. 15 episode of Wondery's "Say Yes! With Carla Hall" podcast, Kristen Bell opened up about her decision to be transparent with the public about the rough patches in her marriage with Dax Shepard: "Dax and I made sort of an agreement early on that we would be honest about our fights, that we wouldn't pretend we just had this effortless marriage," she said. "We are both so bullheaded and stubborn and strong-willed. It takes a lot for two people like that to stay married." They recently hit what she calls a "house cleaning," which she described as a "big fight that marriages get into like every two years — the really big one."
During an interview with Page Six that hit the Internet on Sept. 16, Cat Cora alleged that her ex-wife, Jennifer Cora, wants to "destroy my life at any cost." The celebrity chef accused her former partner of nearly two decades of "cyber-stalking, mental and emotional distress and abuse." She described the situation as "a nightmare that I can't wake up from," adding that the trouble started when they separated in 2015. Cat's second wife, record exec Nicole Ehrlich, compared Jennifer to Ted Bundy and told Page Six that "her power and happiness come from making Cat miserable." The two women, who wed in 2018, have both filed for restraining orders against Jennifer. In legal paperwork reviewed by Page Six, Cat and Nicole accused Jennifer of cornering them repeatedly in public places and "invading their personal space while making a scene." Cat also alleges that her ex is "such an uncooperative co-parent" who's taken her to court 15 times in four years and "has basically bankrupted me by having to defend myself." Claims Cat, who shares four sons with Jennifer, "Her whole goal in life is for me to fail, be destroyed, not have a relationship with the kids, for everyone to know I am a BAD person. … She is desperately trying to make me seem like a bad person, bad mother, anything to hurt me." Yikes!
