Jessica Grace of Ultimatum Responds to Backlash Surrounding Edris Proposal
The Ultimatum’s Jessica Grace Booker clarified misconceptions regarding her previous fiancé, Edris Khalieque, and his proposal motives.
“I believe a more favorable portrayal of Edris would have been beneficial,” Jessica Grace shared exclusively with Us on Tuesday, July 21, discussing how their relationship was depicted in season 4.
She specifically addressed Edris’s proposal happening just before they began the dating experiment, remarking, “Many assume that the proposal was merely a ‘shut up’ ring or was done out of jealousy. They might think, ‘Why would she pick him? He’s just a stoner.’”
The reality star refuted several assumptions regarding their relationship.
“I strictly adhere to my program, I’m sober myself, and I won’t marry someone who smokes weed in our home,” Jessica Grace emphasized. “I just wish Edris had been represented more authentically — the man I know and love and genuinely wanted to marry.”
Reflecting on her decisions during the show, Jessica Grace expressed regret for how she “dragged” Edris into the experience. She provided an update on their current circumstances after leaving season 4 early during their engagement.
“After we returned home, Edris and I genuinely desired to remain engaged with the other couples while tackling our own challenges,” she recounted. “During the dating week, we didn’t meet up, which hindered our ability to address our problems. We understood that we had work to do, so we went through couples counseling.”
Unfortunately, Jessica Grace and Edris were ultimately unable to make it work.
“It reached a point where we recognized that we were causing each other more harm than good due to the existing pain. Without being able to communicate our pains in each other’s language, it resulted in mutual hurt,” she conveyed to Us. “Despite our desires to make it work, we did break up, and that was incredibly challenging.”
The celebrity world experienced an array of breakups throughout 2026, kicking off with Bill Hader and Ali Wong in January. By March, NFL star Dak Prescott and his fiancée, Sarah Jane Ramos, separated. In April, news surfaced about The Real Housewives of New York City couple Sai De Silva and her husband, David Craig, […]
The Ultimatum showcases real couples entering “trial” marriages with new partners before deciding if they are prepared to recommit to their original relationships.
“That wasn’t the outcome I had hoped for. I do reflect on how much our unconventional experience — albeit brief — impacted that,” Jessica Grace expressed to Us while contemplating her breakup. “Ultimately, when two individuals are in distress and can’t heal together within the relationship, it’s necessary to recognize that. Calling it off was extremely difficult for me.”
She added, “The first situation I’d consider an informal breakup occurred a couple of months after the filming wrapped. Then, we attempted to reconnect and said we wanted to work through things, leading to a more formal breakup in September where we didn’t communicate. The reunion was the first instance I had seen or talked to him.”
The Ultimatum is available for streaming on Netflix.
