Simone Ashley is officially entering her “single era,” and I’m totally here for it. The Bridgerton star dated her ex, Constantin “Tino” Klein, for two years before she confirmed the news of their split during an episode of the Woman Hour podcast on Feb. 28. As a public figure, Ashley kept their relationship out of the limelight for quite some time until they made things Instagram official in March 2023, so it’s sad to see they’ve called it quits. So, with the revelation of Ashley’s new relationship status, I can’t help but wonder: Why did she and Klein break up? Let’s discuss.
Though it’s unclear why Ashley and Klein broke up, she spilled quite a bit of tea about her relationship status during her Feb. 28 appearance on the Woman Hour podcast. She went on the podcast to promote her upcoming rom-com, Picture This, which she joked was “ironic” because “as of January this year, I’ve been entering my single era.” Ashley said that she was entering a “different chapter” of her life since she joined the cast of Bridgerton during its second season which aired in March 2022 “where things were just so crazy.”
She added, “I’m focusing on me and focusing on my work and my inner confidence.” Truthfully, who can blame Ashley for prioritizing her career? It must have been extremely difficult for her and Klein to go their separate ways after being together for two years, and it must have been even harder for them to split when it appeared there wasn’t any rhyme or reason that led to the breakup.
Ashley further elaborated on her newfound singleness during a March 5 interview with People, where she explained that her “single era” is all “about self-growth” and that she’s ready to “work on myself — to grow, and to focus on my work.”
The Sex Education actress didn’t directly reference her ex in the interview, but she did say she wants her next partner to be “so confident in themselves and is really ready to have an open heart in the same way I do.” Nonetheless, she maintained that this time in her life is about personal and professional growth. “I’ve got such an incredible year ahead, and I’m up to such exciting things,” Ashley said. “And I have the most amazing family and friends around me. So I’m working on my heart and on myself and on my confidence.”
Going through a breakup isn’t easy, and it must be difficult to go through one in the public eye, so I’m wishing Ashley and Klein all the best.