Meredith Phillips & Ian McKee: The First Bachelorette Breakup

By: Shannon Gossage

Former model Meredith Phillips and Manhattan investment banker Ian McKee met and became engaged on ABC’s The Bachelorette last February. The couple stayed relatively out of the spotlight and seemed to be destined for great happiness like the original bachelorette, Trista Rehn. Rehn met her husband Ryan Sutter on the ABC show and the two said "I Do" in December 2003 in a televised ceremony. Apparently Phillips and McKee were not meant to be. The couple released a statement Tuesday saying, "Our relationship began with great expectations for a happy ending, but unfortunately things didn’t work out as we had hoped. What we experienced together was incredible and we are both sad to see it end. We thank you for your support."

We first met Phillips on the fourth season of The Bachelor when she was rejected by Trista’s reject, Bob Guiney. Phillips agreed to come back as the second bachelorette, hoping to find true love. She narrowed the field down to two bachelors, McKee and Texas salesman Matthew Hinkl. Phillips gave her final rose to McKee, who had told her and his brother that he refused to propose at the end of the show. He shocked Phillips and viewers by proposing at the final ceremony.

The newest season of The Bachelorette is now airing featuring Andrew Firestone’s ex, Jen Schefft. Season three ended with Firestone presenting Schefft with an engagement ring, but the romance has since ended. Now she is back and looking for love and we're sure that both Schefft and ABC are hoping that she finds the fairy tale.