'Jersey Shore' star Ronnie Ortiz-Magro talks Sammi's absence, admits to cheating
A few days after Sammi Giancola explained her absence from the "Jersey Shore" reboot "Family Vacation," her ex Ronnie Ortiz-Magro did the same on the show's Thursday night premiere.
Giancola explained in an Instagram post last week why she's the only original cast member not featured in the new show, writing, "I am not the same person as I was when I was 22. At 31, I am currently extremely happy in every aspect of my life and want to avoid potentially TOXIC SITUATIONS."
She also revealed that she has a new boyfriend, with whom she is very happy.
Ortiz-Magro, who met Giancola on the show in 2009, explained further Thursday night why they broke up for good after having an on-again, off-again relationship for the better part of a decade.
After moving in together a few years back, Ortiz-Magro revealed that he was given a "timeline" to either propose to Giancola or split.
"I got cold feet," he explained on the show. "I ended up cheating, she found out. I blew it, it’s over."
Ortiz-Magro spoke to People magazine about Giancola not returning to the show.
"On the one hand, it sucked because we all started this together so we wanted to end it together," he told the magazine.
"But at the same time, it worked out better for me because it was just less drama for the house," referring to the couple's frequent arguing on the previous show before they split up. "Who really wants to live in a house with their ex? That’s just the most uncomfortable feeling in the world."
Although she has moved on, Ortiz-Magro said he and the cast still stand by her.
"She has a boyfriend and she’s really happy and that’s a decision that she made," he said. "And us as a family and as castmates and friends that have known her for so long, we’re just going to support whatever she does."
In addition to being back on the show, Ortiz-Magro welcomed his first child, a daughter, with girlfriend Jen Harley earlier this month.
