A breakup can’t keep him down.
Shaun White was all smiles in his first TV interview since his split from his fiancée Nina Dobrev on Tuesday.
The former professional snowboarder cheerfully looked back on some of his Olympic games memories during his appearance on the “Today” Show as he discussed the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
“I’ll be running around, definitely supporting my friends competing and just taking it in,” White told the hosts.
“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,” he continued of the upcoming games, which are scheduled for February 2026.
White, 39, added that his first Olympics were held in Italy, so going back will bring up a lot of memories for him.
He even joked that he “might have to bring the hair back,” for the occasion, referencing his famous long, red hair he rocked at his first Olympics where he took home the gold medal for the half-pipe in 2006.
The interview comes shortly after it was reported that White and Dobrev, 36, had broken up and called off their engagement after five years together.
Fans began speculating that the couple was having relationship troubles after the “Vampire Diaries” alum had been spotted without her engagement ring during an appearance at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month.
A source later confirmed their split telling People that the “mutual decision” breakup “wasn’t an easy one.”
“But it was made with love and a deep respect for one another,” the insider told the outlet.
An insider later alleged that the couple reportedly split due to their different priorities: The pro snowboarder wanted to start a family while the actress was focused on her career.
“Shaun is retired and has had his last Olympics, he was very ready for marriage and kids and all that comes from that,” the source told the Daily Mail, referencing the Beijing 2022 Winter Games.
“Nina was on board but also very interested in seeing where her acting career was going to go, as that was and is very important to her,” they added, explaining that White was also focused on “being an entrepreneur after his snowboarding career finished up.”
“He was gearing up to be a father and wanting that life,” they continued. “As much as they had the same ideals and wanted to enjoy the same ride, they naturally couldn’t come together on a common goal and that was the strain on their relationship.”
