Bunnie Xo reveals Jelly Roll infidelity in ‘Stripped Down’ memoir

Bunnie Xo’s relationship with Jelly Roll wasn’t always sweet – at times, it became downright bitter.

In her new memoirs… “Stripped: unfiltered and unapologetic” The “Dumb Blonde” podcast host reveals her chaotic upbringing and the emotional highs and lows that defined the early years of her relationship with the singer-songwriter.

Long before they became one of country music’s most devoted couples, the couple faced difficult truths — including the night Bonnie learned that his ex and Jelly Roll were waiting for him “in a hotel room down the street.”

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Jelly Roll and Boney Exo attend the 68th Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 1, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

“When I found out, I was shocked,” the 46-year-old, whose real name is Alyssa Deford, told Fox News Digital. “I was hurt because I didn’t think he would be the only one to do that. I thought he was different. And in that moment, my heart broke. But instead of getting angry with him, I asked myself: Why do I keep attracting this kind of man?”

Bunnie Xo and her husband Jelly Roll attend the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards on May 8, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (Michael Buckner/Penske Media via Getty Images)

Admit it, son She didn’t envision a traditional marriage. The couple tied the knot in 2016 during a ceremony held in Las Vegas. She became a stepmother to country singer Billy’s daughter and son Noah.

“I think a lot of people need to realize that when we had this marriage, we were not a traditional bride and groom,” she explained.

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“I was a working girl, and he was a former drug dealer-turned-struggling artist. There’s a different set of rules on the street than there are in what I call a traditional marriage. If you’ve never lived that lifestyle before, you won’t understand it. But of course, cheating is wrong across the board — it doesn’t matter.”

In her book, Bonnie wrote that she and the Grammy Award-winning artist, whose real name is Jason Bradley Difford, agreed to separate for three months. But to her surprise, Jelly Roll announced their breakup on Instagram.

Jelly Roll and Bonnie Exo are seen at a pre-Grammy party on January 31, 2026 in Los Angeles. (Gilbert Flores/Billboard via Getty Images)

“Are you kidding me?” I wrote. “We had an agreement. … People started messaging me on social media, telling me that J was with his ex. The pieces started to fit together, and it became easier to break up with him. … I remained completely silent and did not contact J or return any calls.”

“Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic” by Bunnie Xo is out now. (Day Street Books)

Soon after, Bonnie wrote that Jelly Roll was released 2018 album “Waylon & Willie II”.

“Have you ever listened to those songs?” I wrote. “Go listen to it, and you’ll clearly hear a man imploding in the middle of an affair, pouring his guilt into the lyrics. … To this day, I still hate most of the songs on this album, and I can’t listen to them all the way through.”

Bunnie Xo is the host of the “Dumb Blonde” podcast. (Christopher Polk/Penske Media via Getty Images)

Looking back, Bonnie told Fox News Digital that there were many reasons why her initial “fairytale” was a nightmare.

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From left: Billie Ann, her father Jelly Roll and stepmother Bonnie Shaw attend the world premiere of the documentary “Jelly Roll: Save Me” at the Ryman Auditorium on May 30, 2023 in Nashville. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

“It wasn’t so much about what was going on in our marriage,” she said. “It was more that my husband had a hard time letting go of the past. I had a hard time letting go of the past. We also didn’t really think the relationship would work out.”

“I think a lot of it boils down to the self-worth of both parts. My husband didn’t think he’d ever meet a woman who truly loved him for him and just wanted to see him succeed without some of them wanting to change him. …And I brought a lot of baggage into the relationship.”

In “Stripped Down”, Bunnie XO gets candid about the ups and downs she experienced during her romance with Jelly Roll. (John Shearer/Getty Images for CMA)

“I got out of a really abusive relationship,” she said. “The first man I saw cheating was my father. So I didn’t really believe in traditional marriage at the same time either. There were a lot of factors that led to things happening the way they did.”

Bunnie Xo at the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards from Ford Center at The Star on May 16, 2024, in Frisco, Texas. (Gilbert Flores/Penske Media via Getty Images)

However, Bonnie said she was “ready for a change.” So was Jelly Roll, 41.

The two sought couples therapy to save their marriage. Instead a “screaming match” broke out.

“If I could just paint the scene for you, it’s a husband and wife doing marriage counseling,” Boney told Fox News Digital.

Bunnie Xo told Fox News Digital that she has found peace from her troubled past. (Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images for CMT)

“We said, ‘Okay, we’re going to come here, we’re going to learn a lot, and we’re going to get the tools to have a real relationship.'” We were never taught on either side of our families how to love properly. We say, “We’ll go here and do this.” That’s why we have a guy and a girl, because no one will be able to stand next to the other person. “It will be an equal opportunity hiring moment.”

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Jelly Roll and Bonnie Exo attend the 51st CMA Festival at Nissan Stadium on June 8, 2024 in Nashville. (John Shearer/Getty Images for CMA)

“We went there, and that poor couple had no idea what they were getting into,” she continued. “It was a grenade affair. We were screaming at each other. There was a lot of anger, a lot of hurt, a lot of pain on both sides. We left that therapy session that day, and I said to myself, ‘This is it.’ We will never be together again.’ And I think he felt the same way too.”

But they were not ready to leave forever. What started as sadness eventually turned into… promise to commit, revealed.

Bunnie Xo poses for photos at the 2024 CMT Music Awards at the Moody Center on April 7, 2024 in Austin. (John Shearer/Getty Images for CMT)

“We ended up getting back together,” Bonnie said. “We’d say, ‘I want to grow. I don’t want to be this person. I chose you. I’m going to be everything you wanted me to be.’

Jelly Roll and Bonnie Exo at the “Jelly Roll & Friends” concert held at Billy Bob’s Texas on May 6, 2025, in Fort Worth. (Gilbert Flores/Penske Media via Getty Images)

“I would be a wife, and he would be everything I wanted him to be: a husband and a father to the kids,” she said. “We made this decision from then on to be better human beings and to break every generational curse we had ever inherited. I was ready for change. And so was he. So we set out together to heal and grow together.”

“We’ve learned that marriage is not one size fits all,” Bonnie said. “Every person and every relationship is completely different from the next person. But you have to wake up and choose that person even on the days you don’t love them.”

Watch: Jelly Roll reveals the secret of his strong marriage to Bunny XO

In 2023, the couple renewed their vows in the same church in Las Vegas where they were married. Bonnie said she and her husband choose every day to remain faithful to each other. This devotion to each other remains strong.

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Jelly Rule and Bonnie Exo married in 2016. They renewed their wedding vows in 2023. (John Shearer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

“I’ve seen 10 different versions of my husband in 10 years, and he’s probably seen four different versions of me,” Bonnie said. “I’ve improved the things I wanted to improve on a personal level, but I also believe we love each other for who we are — the good, the bad, and the ugly.”

“We don’t judge each other,” she said. “There is no judgment in this house. I know everything about my husband, and he knows everything about me. No matter how hard it gets, we face things head-on. We call it ‘getting in the trenches’. When the time comes, we hunker down and live life together.”