Netflix has finally released the trailer for the third season of Love is Blind: After the Altar. Now, fans of the reality dating series will be able to witness the reunion between season three’s most controversial couple, Zanab Jaffrey and Cole Barnett.
The teaser for the After the Altar special, which premieres on 10 February, shows season three couples Alexa Alfia and Brennon Lemieux, Nancy Rodriguez and Bartise Bowden, Raven Ross and SK Alagbada, Matt Bolton and Colleen Reed, and Zanab Jaffrey and Cole Barnett together for the first time since filming wrapped nearly a year ago.
Love is Blind season three was full of relationship drama, most notably between 32-year-old Jaffrey and 27-year-old Barnett.
“Love can be blind, but it was not for me,” narrates Barnett at the start of the trailer, while Jaffrey reveals her relationship status is “extremely single”.
As the cast members prepare to see each other face-to-face, Barnett is asked whether he expects there to be drama between himself and his ex-fiancée.
“Am I anticipating drama? One hundred per cent!” he says.
The real estate agent is also seen telling fellow cast member Brennon Lemieux that he wants to change, saying: “I am intending to be a better man.”
Zanab Jaffrey and Cole Barnett had many ups and downs throughout their short-lived relationship. All their fights, insecurities, and disagreements ultimately came crashing down on their wedding day when Jaffrey told off Barnett at the altar. She called him out for critiquing her and lowering her self-confidence, as Jaffrey’s guests applauded her for speaking up.
“The last two months have not been picture perfect,” Jaffrey told Barnett as she made the choice to say no to continuing their relationship. “You have disrespected me. You have insulted me. You have critiqued me. And for what it is worth, you have single-handedly shattered my self-confidence. And I hate that you have had that kind of effect on me.”
Things took a turn during the reunion special when Jaffrey accused Barnett of controlling her eating habits and making disparaging comments about her appearance.
“The pushing food away from me, asking if I’m gonna eat that, trying to get me to order a salad, the daily comments about my face and my body were not used,” she said, as she listed moments from their relationship that weren’t shown on screen. “And that’s great, because it really did protect you.”
One of these moments included the infamous “Cuties scene” between Jaffrey and Barnett, in which she was seen peeling the tiny orange as her fiancé asked: “Are you about to eat two of those?”
Love Is Blind producers then included the clip at the end of the reunion episode, but many fans had mixed reactions to the scene. Some viewers supported Jaffrey on social media, while others accused her of exaggerating the story.
Elsewhere in the trailer, former couple Nancy Rodriguez and Bartise Bowden revealed they’ve seen each other “frequently” since calling it quits on their wedding day. When the 27-year-old senior analyst asked the 32-year-old speech pathologist if her family knows whether they’ve stayed friends, the trailer cuts to a clip of Rodriguez’s mother calling Bowden a “piece of s***”.
“No, they do not,” Rodriguez responds while breaking into nervous laughter.
The teaser also shows Raven Ross, who was rejected at the altar by SK Alagbada, reeling with the aftermath of Alagbada’s cheating allegations. Despite breaking up on their wedding day, the pair revealed during the reunion special that they were dating. Alagbada is then seen proposing to Ross in the teaser, only for things to soon come crashing down.
In November 2022, Ross and Alagbada revealed they had broken up for a second time, after multiple women on social media claimed they were in a relationship with Alagabada while he was engaged to Ross.
The two shared a joint statement to their Instagram stories stating they are “saddened” to announce the news of their split.
“We are saddened to announce that we have decided to go our separate ways,” the post began. “Due to ongoing legal proceedings surrounding these allegations, we cannot provide additional details and ask that you please respect our privacy during this hard time. Thank you for following our love story and believing in us. This journey has forever shaped our lives and we are so grateful for everyone who has been a part of it. Your love and support means everything.”
The third season of Love is Blind: After the Altar premieres on Netflix on Friday, 10 February.
