‘It's the most difficult loss I've ever had to deal with'

As viewers finally get full access to Jason Oppenheim and Chrishell Stause’s short-lived romance, the Selling Sunset boss opens up to new about their shock break-up

- JAMES DESBOROUGH

While we’ve been itching for the return of Selling Sunset, Jason Oppenheim has been secretly dreading it. Season four left us hanging as we saw clips of romance blossoming between the luxury real estate agent, 45, and his employee Chrishell Stause, 40. But in December, away from the cameras, the co-stars went their separate ways after less than a year of dating – and Jason is still reeling from the heartache.

“Season five is going to make me relive a lot of sadness, pain and loss,” he says. “That’s not something I’m looking forward to. As excited as I am about season five – I honestly think it’s our best season ever and I hope we get an Emmy – my excitement is tempered by the fact I don’t want to relive the most difficult loss I’ve ever had to deal with. I’m still working through a lot of emotion and pain and sadness. I think that could take a while.”

With new romances, old grudges and some of the most mind-blowing mansions to date, there’s certainly a lot to be excited about in the new series. Mary Fitzgerald, 41, has a bigger role at the brokerage, while newbie agent Chelsea Lazkani, a thirty-something from London, strikes up what’s sure to be an eventful friendship with Christine Quinn, 33 – the pair branding themselves “Black and blonde Barbie”.

But it’s Jason and Chrishell’s dating drama – complete with toe-curling chats about having babies and their eventual break-up – that will have viewers hooked.

When the couple split just five months after going official, Jason explained in an Instagram post that it was because of Chrishell’s desire to start a family and his reluctance – yet that didn’t stop some fans branding their relationship a showmance.