Shaun White appeared to be in good spirits during his first TV interview since his split from Nina Dobrev.
White, 39, joined the Today show on Tuesday, September 16, to discuss the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
“I’ll be running around, definitely supporting my friends competing and just taking it in,” he said of the upcoming games, which will take place in February 2026. “This will be my first Winter Olympics where I’m not competing, so a lot of feelings there, but honestly, I’m excited to support and check it out.”
The former professional snowboarder and skateboarder, who won gold in the 2006 Winter Olympics for the half-pipe, added, “My first Olympics was in Italy that I competed at, so this is bringing a lot of memories going back to Italy. Should be fun.”
Nina Dobrev Ditched Engagement Ring 4 Days Before Shaun White Split News
White also joked that he “might have to bring the hair back,” referring to his iconic thick, long red mane he sported at his first Olympics.
Though White did not discuss his split from Dobrev, 36, on Today, his TV appearance came just five days after Us Weekly learned that the pair had called off their engagement after five years together.
People was the first to report the split on September 11.
Reps for Dobrev and White did not return Us’ request for comment.
After rumors quickly circulated alleging infidelity was to blame for the pair’s split, a source close to the former couple exclusively told Us on September 12 that the breakup was not a result of cheating.
“There was no cheating at all during the course of their five-and-a-half-year relationship,” the insider said. “They were very loyal to each other. Any online speculation that suggests otherwise is ridiculous.”
Meanwhile, an insider told Us exclusively on Monday, September 15, that Dobrev is “devastated” by the split. The source added that she and White, who announced their engagement in October 2024, “had finally started planning the wedding and things were in motion.”
While the split is “still very fresh,” the insider said that Dobrev is being “supported by her closest girlfriends, who have been checking in on her.”
Dobrev and White first sparked dating rumors in February 2020. Us broke the news of their relationship two months later.
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White opened up to Us about making his long distance romance with Dobrev work in 2021.
“We have a nice little system of how to stay in touch,” he said. “Plane tickets are pretty much booked for any opportunity that we can go see one another. So, I know during the holiday break, we’re going to meet up, and we’re going to meet up again probably around Christmas time. Anything that happens in between, then I’ll jet over and see her. You just make it work.”
He continued, “I think that’s the goal of it all and the key to it all is just making the time. [Nina’s] super organized and on top of it, so I give it to her. She always finds a way to make it happen.”
Later, in 2022, the athlete gushed that his relationship with Dobrev was built on a solid foundation.
“We have common interests,” White shared. “The way in which we met really kind of strengthened our relationship. And the problems that we do face, they kind of fall away through communication. It’s just been great.”