⁠“They’ve handled it with class”: Country stars Dan + Shay address Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO’s divorce

CMA Fest 2026 - Day One - Source: Getty
CMA Fest 2026 - Day One - Source: Getty

Country stars Dan + Shay have chimed in on Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo's highly publicized divorce, expressing their support for both while appreciating how they handled the matter in public. Speaking to Page Six at the Tight Ends & Friends Concert in Nashville on June 23, Dan Smyers claimed that he just met Jelly Roll and found him to be positive despite endless headlines. Mooney said:

“They’ve handled it with class.”

Smyers revealed that he came across Jelly Roll just days before and described the musician as "great." He said:

“I saw him the other night, actually. Yeah, I ran into him.”

Although the duo did not go into depth about the divorce. Smyers expressed his delight for his pal and mentioned Jelly Roll's recent social media post reflecting on his health journey:

“He was great. We didn’t really get into it, but I’m happy for him.”

Shay Mooney praised Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO's public handling of their breakup. Mooney remarked:

“They’ve handled it with class. It’s a tough thing to go through very, very publicly.”

The musician stated that, as a married guy, he understood how tough it would be to deal with personal issues in public. He also mentioned that Jelly Roll and Bunnie have been respectful throughout the process:

“I mean, as married guys, if we had to go through something like that that publicly, it’s really tough on both parties and they’ve both handled it well.”

Mooney closed by stating that he and Smyers wish the best for both of them, calling the former marriage "great":

“We want the best for both of them. They’re great.”

Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO's divorce

Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO's divorce went public on June 15, when news surfaced that Jelly Roll had quietly filed for divorce in Tenesse in the month of May. According to court filings, the separation was caused by "irreconcilable differences".

Three days later, at a concert in Saratoga Springs, New York, Jelly Roll addressed the divorce for the first and only time in public:

“I wasn’t going to talk about this tonight, but while we’re talking about liars, the internet is a liar too. This is the only time and the only city I’m gonna speak about this, so break your camera phones out now.”

He stated to supporters that he and Bunnie are still great friends and that the breakup was not due to adultery. He added that they will remain best friends:

“Me and my wife are best friends. We will always be best friends. ”

He mentioned that his ex-wife will “probably be the only woman I will ever love the way I loved her” and clearly stated that the marriage ended simply because of "irreconcilable differences" and not cause of infidelity.

He concluded saying that Bunnie will likely always have a special place in his life.

“Every word of it is the truth. That will be my best friend forever. This is the only time I will ever speak about it. Bunnie, I love you, baby.”

Bunnie XO opens up on a podcast

Bunnie XO eventually discussed the divorce on her Dumb Blonde podcast, stating that the couple decided to end their marriage on amicable terms:

"We're going to co-parent together. J is my best friend. Like, this isn't what you guys think this is. Nobody cheated on the other person. It's literally just we served our purpose for each other."

She also disclosed that, despite their divorce, they hope to continue their plans to have a child together as she refered to their future child as "little Nugget." According to Bunnie, both are committed to co-parenting as she plans to raise "little Nugget" as "one big happy family" and keeping their close connection in the future:

"J has been so f*ckiing great about us still having a baby together and he wants the same thing."

She continued:

"There will never be another 'Jelly and Bunnie.' What we built together as a team, the reason we are who we are is because of our love story. It's literally built on love. It's ending with love, and we're continuing the love because we're having our little nugget together."

Comedian Nicole Arbour also commented on the divorce, saying in an interview with the New York Post that it could be a publicity stunt. Arbour, who has been a longtime critic of Jelly Roll, claimed that the former couple frequently makes headlines before starting new projects. Arbour said:

“Jelly Roll and his wife will create a PR scandal. I believe this divorce is. They create a giant scandal with the press that they get off of, then launch something.”

Neither the singer nor his wife, Bunny XO have replied to Arbour's claims.

Stay tuned to Soap Central for more information.

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Edited by Zachary D. Lyngdoh