Nayte Olukoya Michelle Young The Bachelorette

Does Michelle Young Have To Give Back The $200K ABC Gave Her For A House With Nayte Olukoya After They Split?

Breakups are really hard. Former The Bachelorette Michelle Young, while still working through her split from fiancé Nayte Olukoya, gave her first interview less than a month after calling off her engagement.

Speaking with Bachelor Nation’s Ben Higgins and Ashley Iaconetti on their “Almost Famous” podcast, Michelle admitted that she has “good days” and “bad days” as she navigates the breakup, which happened shortly after she announced she wouldn’t be returning to teaching in September, US Magazine reported.

One thing Ashley was curious to ask during the interview was what happened to the $200K that ABC gifted Michelle and Nayte during the Season 18 finale, which was intended as a downpayment toward buying their first house together.

“[The money] was gifted to both of us, and I think that’s something that is going to be decided how that’s going to be utilized, going forward,” Michelle said. “For me, personally, [I] haven’t officially decided, but I kind of have started putting some different things in place to give back, you know, to build an organization or just promote the change that I’ve been talking about, and I think that’d be something that I’d feel really good about.”

Michelle added that she’s been “crying on the phone with one of the producers,” asking whether she can “give the money to somebody else.”

Girl, it’s not your money. The right thing would be to return it to ABC, just as the ring is required to be returned if the engagement ends within 2 years.

Yes, Michelle, breakups are hard. We’ve all been there. You’ll get through this. There’s a fairly large club of former Bachelorettes who are prepared to share a glass of chardonnay and words of sympathy. You should have no trouble finding someone to commiserate with you.

TELL US – DO YOU THINK MICHELLE SHOULD JUST RETURN THE $200K TO ABC? OR DO YOU THINK IT’S OKAY FOR MICHELLE TO USE THE MONEY TO “GIVE BACK?” 

[Photo Credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images]

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