'Love Is Blind' Star Zanab Jaffrey Says She Developed An Eating Disorder Dating Cole Barnett

The season 3 finale of “Love Is Blind” was released on Wednesday, and fans weren’t all that surprised to learn that Zanab Jaffrey turned Cole Barnett down at the altar.

Their tumultuous relationship was filled with ups and downs. After saying he was more physically attracted to another contestant while on their honeymoon, it seemed the two just couldn’t get over their initial roadblock.

Things got even more tense between the two during the reunion special, where Zanab claimed that Cole often policed what she ate, which caused her to develop an eating disorder while they were filming.

Zanab was very candid about the struggles that she experienced growing up, which included the death of both of her parents. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Zanab said that she has been to therapy “several times” in her life and is a “huge advocate for therapy,” saying that “everyone could benefit from it.”

The Netflix reality star said that she began her “self-love journey” after she walked away from him at the altar. “I left that relationship pretty beaten down and broken and I started going to therapy,” she explained, although she said that she “didn’t seek out help for an eating disorder.”

“I definitely reintroduced food as soon as I could, and my metabolism and body hated me for that,” she said. “That's very much a thing in the past, but it was very real in the moment, and that's why it was important that it be talked about. I know that they're very real things that people struggle with, so I always want to be open about talking about them because it makes them a little less taboo.”

Instead of going to therapy specifically to treat her eating disorder, Zanab said, “I just spent some time with family.” Zanab clarified, “I've always been a good eater. I very much enjoy food. I'm not the girl that turns down desserts. I'm not the girl that cuts bread out. I've never been that person. So it was very shocking to my system.”

“I cannot stress how much my body, my metabolism hated me after that, and I gained a lot of weight when I started eating again and eating regularly, but we got that stabilized,” she continued. “Honestly, it was family and therapy that helped me realize I did to have to unlearn those behaviors and rearrange the way I was thinking about myself and treating myself.”

The 32-year-old said that she and Cole “don’t speak” and “are not on talking terms.” During the reunion, Zanab said that many of Cole’s “hurtful comments” didn’t actually make it onto the screen, including many instances of body shaming.

Another thing that she says wasn’t filmed was Cole “confessing” that he tried to kiss a girl, and got her number, while they were at their respective bachelor parties. During the reunion special, Cole looked visibly shocked by her allegation and straight-up accused her of “lying” and “making up” the story.

In her interview with Entertainment Weekly, Zanab explained talked a bit more about the shocking incident. “That is information Cole offered to me. That is not third-party information, that is not through telephone,” she said. “I don't know if it makes the reunion, but he was saying that I had said there would be no drama at the wedding, and I did say that.”

“But 20 minutes later, we were just talking and he shared that he tried to kiss a girl at his bachelor party,” Zanab continued. “He said, ‘I'm about to get married. I want to kiss one more girl. Can I kiss you?’ Apparently, she said, ‘No, I don't do cheaters.’ I was like, ‘Oh, how nice. There's good women out in the world.’ Something inside me made me ask, ‘Cole, did you get her phone number?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, I did, but I didn't do anything with it.’”

Fans have immediately started taking sides, with some viewers poking holes in her story. If the girl didn’t “do cheaters” then why would she give Cole her number? There were also no girls present at their rodeo bachelor party, although Zanab claims the guys hitched a ride to another bar after the initial party.

One thing fans can agree on, however, is that Cole and Zanab just couldn’t seem to get past their initial incompatibilities, and are better off finding partners better suited to their needs.

Season 3 of "Love Is Blind" and the reunion special are now currently available to stream on Netflix. The release date for season 4, which has reportedly already been filmed, has yet to be announced.