Lauren Speed-Hamilton keeps tabs on Love Is Blind after tying the knot with her husband Cameron Hamilton during the show's first season. In an exclusive interview with Life & Style, she shares her reactions to the subsequent controversies.
“You know what, I haven’t watched [season 7] completely, but being active online, I stay updated, honey, OK?” Lauren, 37, remarks to Life & Style. “Everything is on the internet – all the gossip, every detail on who did and said what, who’s the villain, and who’s adored. So, I don’t feel like I miss anything. It’s all there online.”
Getty Lauren, who cohosts the limited “Life In Drive” podcast in collaboration with Kelley Blue Book, also commented on the season 7 star Tyler Francis’s paternity scandal, labeling it a “hot mess.”
“I mean, someone who denies their children, despite having Christmas portraits with them - these aren’t your kids, but you spend time with them and deny them just for a TV show?” Lauren questions. “Your kids will grow up and see this and it won’t look good for you, man.”
She added, “So it’s like, oh, Love Is Blind. Really, you didn’t know this guy had three kids? It seems unfair. But then again, Ashley [Adionser], she decided to go along with it. So, who’s to blame here? But it was a hot mess.”
Prior to marrying Ashley, 33, during Love Is Blind season 7, Tyler, 34, admitted that he was a “sperm donor” for a “couple he knew” and had fathered three children. He also claimed that he spent his last Christmas [2022] alone, which prompted Bri Thomas, the mother of his children, to counter his statement.
“We can start with the smallest lie about my ‘uninvolved’ children’s father. ‘I spent Christmas last year alone, cooking greens….’ Tyler did not spend Christmas ‘22 alone,” Bri revealed on Instagram Stories on October 8, 2024. “He spent it at his mom’s with family, including the oldest, Kyreaux.”
Shortly after, Life & Style exclusively reported that Bri had legally removed Tyler’s last name from their eldest son and twin daughters' names, replacing it with her maiden name.
Ashley, who exchanged vows with Tyler during the final episode of Love Is Blind season 7, stood by him as they confronted the paternity controversy at the reunion. She elaborated on the situation in the November 6, 2024, episode of “The Viall Files” podcast.
During the podcast, Ashley mentioned that after Tyler disclosed his fatherhood, he preferred to delay the discussion until filming had concluded and the cameras were turned off. However, she was not comfortable with this approach.
Netflix“I felt like, ‘There’s no way I can continue participating in this experiment unless we address this issue in some manner because I’ve been so upbeat the entire time and if my energy is this low, the viewers will notice,’” Ashley reflected. “I asked him, ‘If I were to talk to your ex or former flings right now, what would they say about you?’ This was for two reasons: first, to see if I can recognize any patterns of that behavior and start being vigilant about it — not that I’m actively searching for it, but just to be mindful. And second, to observe how you respond because it’s a red flag when men blame everything on a woman.”
She also added that Tyler claimed his children saw him as an “uncle” since Bri was in a long-term relationship with her partner at that time.
In January, Ashley disclosed that she and Tyler had made the “tough choice” to end their marriage.
“This wasn’t a decision I made lightly, but one that I feel is essential for my own growth and peace,” she told People at the time. “Even though this chapter is closing, I will always cherish the love and moments we shared. I kindly request privacy during this highly personal time as I concentrate on healing and planning a new future. Thank you for your understanding and support.”
Listen to Lauren and Kelley Blue Book’s “Life In Drive” podcast on Spotify