“Love Is Blind” has some explaining to do. The show’s latest season only follows three engaged couples to Mexico, one of whom ends up calling it quits before living together, leaving just two rocky pairs ahead of their weddings. But sleuths on Reddit and TikTok quickly discovered there were several other engagements from the pods that weren’t followed, and one in particular – between Renee Poche and Carter Wall – was cut even after cameras followed them to the altar.
Poche and Wall are seen individually throughout the season, first in the pods and later at the reunion BBQ, but their relationship doesn’t play out on screen. In fact, fans even noticed glimpses of the two in background shots in Mexico that seemed to be edited out. We know it’s common for “Love Is Blind” to stop following certain love stories post-pods, but viewers are wondering why these two weren’t shown when they honeymooned in Mexico and cohabitated ahead of the altar. It’s especially unusual considering season five definitely could have used more couple content. (After all, only two of the couples shown ended up living together, and this season is only 10 episodes, as opposed to 12 in previous seasons.) Social media users have speculated there was cheating involved or that Poche may have been in a relationship during filming, seeing as she tied the knot with a different man earlier this year.
We chatted with the Houston-based veterinarian about all of the speculation and got her take on what may have happened behind the scenes. POPSUGAR reached out to Netflix for a comment on Poche’s storyline on the show but did not receive an immediate response. Wall also did not immediately respond to POPSUGAR’s request for comment on his and Poche’s relationship.
Ahead, Poche addresses the rumors of her engagement with Wall and her recent nuptials, as well as shares what it was like to be on the show. Plus, she offers her take on the Uche-Lydia drama and the men of this season.
Related: Untangling Why “Love Is Blind” Is So Bad This Season
POPSUGAR: First things first: there are tons of rumors circulating on TikTok and Reddit that you and Carter were engaged on the show. Can you tell us what happened?
Renee Poche: We did get engaged in the pods, and we were chosen to be followed for the rest of the journey. We did go all the way to altar, but we did not get married. We fell in love with each other in the pods. We were very excited about everything, and things went really well in Mexico as well. We were always very pleasant, funny, happy, and enjoyed each other’s company. But once we got back to Houston and back to the real world, I started noticing things that I kind of ignored or blew off that were red flags I should have picked up on. And eventually I did say “no” at the altar.
“I was just as shocked as everybody else.”
PS: We know “Love Is Blind” doesn’t always follow engagements to Mexico and the altar, but it seems strange you were filmed up until that point, but the love story wasn’t shown in the series. Do you have any insight into what might have happened?
RP: I was just as shocked as everybody else. I got a call a couple months before the show aired, in August, to let me know that our story wasn’t going to be a big focus. What I was told was, “We’ll just, point blank, say that Carter was awful and we don’t want you to have to relive that. That’s just not going to be a big focus.” They also said timing was an issue, so they decided to cut our story. That’s what I was told.
PS: So you didn’t know what was going to be shown before you saw it yourself?
RP: I did ask for clarification because I was so confused at first. My first question was, “Wait, the wedding’s not going to be shown?” She was like, “No, no wedding.” So I kept asking more and she was like, “I think it’s going to be more like, you guys are friends from the pods.” It was very vague, and I still thought that possibly we were going to be engaged on the show and then kind of cut down from there.
PS: It seems odd to still be left in as friends.
RP: I really don’t know the real reason, but I can speculate. I have my own opinions on why and likely what happened, but it’s not something that I was actually told. I don’t know if I should get into it. I will eventually, but not now.
PS: We now know from your social media that you’re married – congratulations, by the way – so people have been wondering whether your current relationship contributed to that editing decision. Were you in a relationship before or during the time you were on the show?
RP: I was never in a relationship. During casting, I was single, and we didn’t film for about eight months after, and I was single that whole time. I think that rumor came from people seeing that I got married later on, so they were like, “It just has to be that this was during the same time.” But no, I was single, and I even think Carter would say, there were other issues, maybe, but definitely not that.
PS: I think people also forget how much earlier these shows are filmed.
RP: We move on and we have relationships after we film. Come on, everybody. And really though, even if that was a part of it at all, I think Netflix would’ve kept it in. I think they would be curious and want to know the story if that was the case.
PS: Can you clarify for viewers the timeline of when you met your husband and got married and what you’re comfortable sharing about your relationship?
RP: He doesn’t want to be a part of any media. He thinks the whole thing’s wild – he doesn’t even want people knowing his name. But I’d actually known him for a while. We matched on a dating app years ago, and then we met and went on a couple of dates, but that was that. It wasn’t until months after filming that we actually did go on more dates. We finished filming in June, and we didn’t go out until September or October. I think I was in that spot where I was so ready for a real relationship and so excited for everything, and he saw the chance, so we did it! I want to keep our engagement private, but we got married in March.
PS: Well, congratulations again. I want to backtrack and talk a little bit about how you got on “Love Is Blind.”
RP: They reached out to me. I think they saw me on dating apps and went from there. At first, I thought it was a scam message. I was kind of making fun of it, but it was real, so I was like, OK, this is interesting. There was only season one out when we were going through casting, so I went and watched it to see if it could be something I would do. I saw Cameron and Lauren and immediately was like, this is amazing. You could tell that they loved each other.
PS: What were your connections like in the pods? Did you only connect with Carter?
RP: No, I had a few connections. We meet everybody, and then from there, you see who you’re getting closer with. But with Carter, he was my strongest connection, and I think we clicked with humor. The initial reveal was awkward for all of us, just with all the cameras, but it was good.
PS: From your Instagram, it looks like you developed a close friendship with Taylor. Do you keep in touch with any others from the pods?
RP: Actually, all the girls from the cast. We have our group chat, and we still hang out all the time. That was pretty much the best part of it all, how many great friendships we all made.
PS: I imagine you can’t say any names, but do you know if anyone from the season is still together?
RP: Yes, I do. There are people still together.
PS: OK, plural! Are you rooting for any of the couples we’re seeing on screen now?
RP: I’ll always have all of the girls’ backs, so anything that the girls do, even if it’s mean or whatever it is, I’ll still be on their side. So I’m rooting for all the girls. And knowing the experience and how everything was filmed, even if they’re shown in a bad light, I know they’re still good people. These men though, these men are mess. Disaster.
PS: I have to ask. What’s your take on the Uche-Lydia situation? Do you think it was a setup?
RP: I think the only people that will know that are them. But she’s never told me that, so honestly, I have no idea how that happened. I don’t think production knew any of it or planned that for drama or anything. It was a surprise to us for sure. It could have just been a coincidence really, everyone knows everyone in Houston.
PS: We didn’t get to see too much of you on screen this season, and we’re still awaiting the “Renee Cut,” but what do you think viewers missed out on?
RP: Oh, so much. It was an emotional roller coaster. There were ups and downs. There were tons of funny, even better moments than the few little clips they showed. It would’ve been amazing to watch even through the really rough parts, which I will get into, but not right now.
PS: Do you have any regrets looking back on your “Love Is Blind” experience?
RP: I don’t have any regrets. I am sad that our story wasn’t shown, because I would’ve enjoyed seeing it from an outside view. And even watching the other conversations, even though you already knew that happened, watching it and being able to digest everything that’s being said, it makes it so much more clear than when you’re frustrated in the moment. So I would’ve enjoyed seeing it, seeing my own faults and just how things ended up where they did.
PS: Is there anything else you wanted to clear up?
RP: I get asked the same things over and over, so I’ll eventually explain everything that happened during filming, but I was mostly frustrated about people saying that I was dating someone else. I’m wild, but I didn’t do anything like that. When we got engaged at the beginning, I was head over heels. We were going to get married, I was sure of it. And then everything unfolded. But no, I was super committed.
PS: Well, I’m happy that you ended up finding love regardless. You’re married now, so it all ended up working out.
RP: Onto the next page.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
