Instagram Haleigh Broucher and Fessy Shafaat
Not a lot of Big Brother showmances last outside of the house, but the one between Haleigh Broucher and Faysal “Fessy” Shafaat looked like it might be the real deal. They were together from their time on Big Brother 20 in the summer of 2018 until they broke up in July 2020.
But then they apparently reconciled at least somewhat before Shafaat left to film season 36 of The Challenge — where Shafaat might have started hooking up with a fellow cast member. Broucher recently took to Patreon to tell her side of the story, throwing some major shade at Shafaat in the process.
UPDATE: Shafaat has responded to Broucher’s version of their breakup.
The original post continues below.
Broucher Said She Didn’t Know They Were Finished Until He Called After ‘The Challenge’ Wrapped
Haleigh speaks out via her Patreon so once again me and @GamerVev were right #thechallenge36
In her Patreon post, Broucher said that she was in a relationship with Shafaat “until a phone call [she] got at the end of October” because before he left to film The Challenge, they agreed to try to work things out when he got back.
“Up until a phone call I got at the end of October, I was in a relationship. I was in love. I was not dating. I was not entertaining others. I got new pillows because my partner didn’t like the last ones. I had planned a spot big enough for us both to be, a 2-car garage, and an extra place for a Tv because he always had his games too loud. We never agreed for him to move, but we agreed that we needed more space together than a small apartment so I was creating it,” wrote Broucher.
She continued, “I had gotten groceries with his favorite meals and was ready to go pick up my partner on the 30th so we could start our real life. This was all discussed and all agreed on. I didn’t make this up. I knew my relationship was not perfect, but we had agreed to fix it and work on it after he showed up at my apartment before he left. We agreed to tell everyone we were fixing it. The first steps were just getting him home and then we were going from there.”
Broucher went on to say that her weekly phone calls while he was filming The Challenge were “filled with love” and so she “had no reason to assume anything had changed.”
“I’m not trying to paint anyone into anything they aren’t. I quite frankly don’t care if anyone believes anything, or what you think of me because at the end of the day, him, myself, and God all know the truth and that alone is enough for me,” wrote Broucher. “But I want you all to get over it as I have and stop trying to make yourselves feel better by creating false scenarios. It is black and white. Move on. Give it up. Stop harassing me. Entertain yourself with his new life and leave mine alone.”
She finished by saying, “I wish I could say I wish him the best, but I don’t and I never will.”
In response, Shafaat has said that he thought they were still broken up when he went to film The Challenge. He did not specifically address the rumors that he hooked up with either Deal or Allen, but he did have a message for Broucher.
Broucher Is Now Pursuing A Graduate Degree at Northern Illinois University
In a post from early November, Broucher revealed that she moved to Chicago to pursue a graduate degree in Social/Industrial/Organizational Psychology in pursuit of her Ph.D. She said that it was a scary decision but one she was also excited about.
“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t scared. I know relatively nobody here and I question my abilities daily. … But I’ve already learned so much about myself and so much about what it means to welcome change. As terrifying and heartbreaking as change can be, it leaves room for new and exciting things I suppose. Not sure what the next few years look like, but I’m hanging on tight for the ride. Cheers to welcoming growth as it comes, and to a better 2021 for everyone,” wrote Broucher.
Fessy and Tori when they went on vacation together
Meanwhile, fans were convinced they saw Shafaat and The Challenge castmate Tori Deal on vacation together. Fans thought they heard Deal in the background of one of his live Instagram posts and there were photos of Fessy with a woman at a bar that fans thought was Deal — though it is not clear in any of the photos who the woman is.
However, on an episode of “The Official Challenge Podcast” hosted by Deal and Aneesa Ferreira, Ferreira called Deal out for inviting her (Ferreira) to go to Turks and Caicos with her but later going with someone else. Ferreira also said cryptically, “I will say this — we have some very loyal, loving, and aware fans … some of you should be detectives. I don’t know how you find the things that you find,” (via Showbiz Cheatsheet).
Deal later denied that she cheated on her ex Jordan Wiseley with Shafaat, though she did not address whether they are currently seeing each other (via Showbiz Cheatsheet).
There is also a clip in The Challenge season 36 super trailer that appears to show Shafaat kissing rookie contestant Gabby Allen, but the show hasn’t gotten to that moment yet in its aired episodes.
The Challenge: Double Agents is currently airing Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on MTV. Big Brother 23 will return in the summer of 2021. Until then, we might get a new season of Big Brother Canada this winter/spring.
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Fessy Shafaat’s Ex Speaks Out About ‘The Challenge’ Cheating Rumors