The former couple, who filed joint filings last week in Carver County, Minnesota, listed their separation date as February 25, 2023, although they didn’t publicly confirm the news until October 2023.
Olivia Plath and Ethan Plath have officially filed for divorce.
Four months after announcing their split on social media, the former couple filed joint papers to dissolve their five-year marriage in Carver County, Minnesota on February 21, PEOPLE can confirm.
Olivia and Ethan, both 25, cited an “irreversible breakdown” as the reason for their divorce, according to In contact, who first broke the news. They also listed their split date as February 25, 2023, although they didn’t publicly confirm their split until October of the following year.
A representative for TLC did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Olivia and Ethan Plath.
Instagram/oliviamarieplath
Ethan Plath decided to end his marriage with Olivia in tears Welcome to Plathville Season finale
Olivia and Ethan married in 2018, but later took some time apart while evaluating the future of their marriage and decided to move out of their shared home. The two eventually reconciled, but fans began to speculate that they may have split sometime in early 2023 due to the other’s lack of social media presence.
In October of that year, the couple announced on Instagram that they were separating. Ethan was the first to share the news, noting that it “just didn’t work out between us, even though God knows we both tried our best.”
“We seemed to be constantly pulling each other in opposite directions in life with different goals,” he continued. “I wish Olivia all the best in the future. I care about her very much and always will.”
In the post, Olivia briefly reflected on their time together. “I have ambivalent memories of us at 18, which I innocently dream about forever – but the partner you choose is a reflection of the world you want to live in, and at 18 I didn’t know who I was or what kind of life I wanted to create for myself,” she wrote.
“Seven years later, I have already begun my journey of questioning, deconstructing and rebuilding and I know this is a process I will continue to prioritize throughout my life,” she added. “Thank you for the good times, Ethan. I wish you the best.”
Two months later, Olivia shed more light on their split, telling fans in a Q&A on her Instagram Story that working as a wedding photographer allowed her to “see what I deserve and can have.”
She also spoke about her “must haves” in a future partner, saying, “Curiosity and compassion are non-negotiables for me! Also, someone who knows I will change as I learn, grow and explore. No I know, that could be nice 😂🙊.”
The reality star added: “Oh, and she also wouldn’t mind if we split the cooking duties,” seemingly taking offense to Ethan’s comments from Welcome to Plathville finale in December, when he suggested that their marriage could have been saved if Olivia had “cooked three meals a day” for him.
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Ethan Plath and Olivia Plath. Ethan Plath/Instagram Olivia Plath reflects on her ‘disintegrating’ marriage to Ethan — and why ‘Compassion’ is now a deal breaker
Before their split, fans were able to see their ups and downs on the TLC series The Plath Family. They struggled to see eye to eye on several key issues including communication, politics, religion and differences in how they wanted to raise their children.
In the Season 5 finale, fans watched as Ethan officially decided to end their marriage.
“I feel like I have to draw a line in the sand and say this is the absolute limit of where my personal beliefs will let me go with where you are now and bringing kids into the mix because they’re just not compatible,” Ethan told Olivia. “First I told you things that I’ve been keeping inside for a long time, which is that if there was anyone on this earth today that I could have children with, I’d want it to be you.”
Ethan continued, “I love you very much and I wish things could be like this. But also, in good conscience, holding on to the beliefs and values I have and the way you’ve changed, I can’t see how I can do that. There are just things which I’m not okay with the children I raise to think and believe. It’s a matter of principle for me.”
Through tears, Olivia replied, “I’m the child of two people whose principles are more important than their relationship with their daughter, and I’ll be damned if I do it again. Well, yes, it hurts me to feel like I was committed to this relationship, and I feel that you decided not to be together. But I support the choice and think it’s the right move for what we both want our future to look like.”
“I love you as a person,” she added. “I don’t think we’re the right romantic partners for each other, but I still love you and I still want the best for you. No one can say we didn’t try.”
At the end of the episode, the title card states that “Olivia and Ethan have jointly decided to file for divorce.”
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Welcome to Plathville is available for streaming on Max.
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Source: HIS Education