The summer fling is real.
Amanda Batula and West Wilson of the Bravo reality series “Summer House” posted a joint statement Tuesday on their Instagram Stories confirming they are romantically involved after weeks of speculation.
“We’ve seen the growing online speculation, so while this is still very new, we wanted to provide some clarity. It was never our intention to purposely hide anything,” the statement read. “Given the complicated relationship dynamics involved and the scrutiny that comes with being on a reality show, we needed a little space to process things privately before speaking on it.
“We’ve shown up for each other as friends over the years, through all the highs and lows, and what’s developed recently was the last thing either of us expected. Our connection grew out of a genuine, long- standing friendship, which made it especially important for us to approach this with care.”
Romance rumors between Batula, 34, and Wilson, 28, began circulating amongst fans in recent weeks, setting the stage for potential drama among a cast that shares a summer home in the Hamptons. Batula’s friend and costar Ciara Miller dated West in 2023 during the first season of “Summer House.” Batula, who in January announced that she and husband Kyle Cooks had parted ways, said in March that she did not want to date any ‘Summer House” cast members.
“I’m not touching any of my cast members,” she said. “Yeah, no, love them dearly, but I’m good.”
Wilson addressed the rumors during his appearance on Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen” on March 24, saying at the time that the two were just friends.
“We were just hanging out in New York. She’s single, I gotta show her the streets a little bit,” Wilson said. “But if it’s not clear, that’s a very important person to me, and I care about her a lot.”
He later added, “That’s a friend. I hope it’s clear.”
What’s now clear is that they are more than friends.
“As our feelings evolved, we wanted to take time to understand exactly what we were feeling,” their joint statement read.” We also recognize that this has had an impact beyond just us and never wanted our actions to cause any hurt or be perceived as careless.
“We truly appreciate the understanding and respect as we navigate this.”
Batula’s ex-husband Cooke addressed the rumors earlier this month during his appearance on “Watch What Happens Live.”
“It would certainly catch me by surprise and feel a little reckless,” he said. “I think Ciara would probably have something to say… “But if it made Amanda happy, I think I just would have to vote yay.”
The couple’s statement comes two weeks after the “Summer House” Season 10 midseason trailer was released.
Jesse Solomon & West Wilson join Sara Gore to give the inside scoop on all the highs and lows of the latest season of “Summer House.”
