Jo Koy And Chelsea Handler’s Breakup Story Is Weirdly Inspiring

Let me just start off with the most attention-grabbing part of this entire story: Jo Koy described his split with Chelsea Handler as “beautiful.” Never have I ever used “split” and “beautiful” in the same sentence before. Except maybe one time when I said “oh, thank god you split with him, he’s fugly and you’re beautiful.” But I digress. This year’s Golden Globes host, comedian Jo Koy, dated fellow comedian Chelsea Handler for just under a year from 2020 to 2021.

The pair were good friends before their relationship became romantic, with Jo appearing on Chelsea’s late night show, Chelsea Lately, pretty regularly from 2007 to 2014. So.. why did Jo Koy and Chelsea Handler break up?

Jo Koy and Chelsea Handler’s Breakup Explained

During an appearance on Brooke Shields‘ Now What? podcast, Chelsea revealed details about her split from Jo, saying they didn’t align on certain aspects.

“There were just some behaviors that we couldn’t agree on, and it felt to me like I would have to abandon myself — which maybe I would have been OK to do if I were 20 or 25 — but I wasn’t willing to do that. No matter how much I loved this person, and I loved him so much, I was not going to abandon myself.”

Chelsea didn’t specifically say what the issues were, but said, “walking away from him was one of the most difficult things that I ever had to do.”

Chelsea’s Breakup Instagram Post

In July 2022, Chelsea posted about her breakup on Instagram. With a video that she intended to share on their one-year anniversary, she wrote a lengthy caption:”It is with a heavy heart to announce that we have decided together that it is best for us to take a break from our relationship right now. Because of him, my life experience has changed forever. To be loved and adored by @jokoy has been one of the greatest gifts of my life. He renewed my faith in men, in love, in being 100% who I am, and I’ve never been more optimistic for the future. You blew my creativity open, my lust for working hard again, being on the road again, and you reminded me who I was and always have been, and my feet have never been more firmly planted in the ground. This is not an ending. It’s another beginning, and it’s a comfort to know that I am still loved and love this man the way the sun loves the moon and the moon loves the sun. YOUR PERSON IS COMING.”

Jo’s Breakup Instagram Post

Image Credit: Getty Images

According to E! Online, in a since-deleted Instagram post, Jo wrote that he and Chelsea “will always remain great friends and will always have love for one another. I’m her biggest fan and I can’t wait for you all to see what she has in store for the future. Keep killing it, Chelsea! Mahal kita!”

And, on the red carpet for the She Ready Foundation’s 1st annual Prom Gala — A Night Under the Stars, Jo told PEOPLE that their “split was beautiful. It really was.”