Gypsy-Rose Blanchard's Ex Ryan Anderson Says He Was 'Blindsided' By Divorce: 'I'm Still Processing Things' (Exclusive)

The Louisiana school teacher who wed Gypsy-Rose Blanchard behind bars in 2022 shares his side of their divorce story in this week's issue

Ryan Anderson is still reeling from the sudden breakdown of his marriage to Gypsy-Rose Blanchard.

Opening up to PEOPLE exclusively in this week's issue, the Louisiana school teacher, 38, who's featured in Lifetime's upcoming docuseries Gypsy Rose: Life After Lockup, gets candid about what went down in the three months after he picked Blanchard up from Chillicothe Correctional Center, where she'd served more than eight years of a 10-year sentence for her role in the murder of her mother Dee Dee.

In the beginning, "It was good," he says. "I loved our first night together when I picked her up from the prison, and it was just me and her. Those are the moments I cherish. I was just happy Gypsy was home. A lot was going on but it was just great to have her in the room with you."

Much of those joyful early days were captured by cameras for the new docuseries, as evidenced by the trailer that shows the couple kissing and Blanchard declaring, "I've consummated my marriage." But Anderson says it wasn't long until things changed.

Related: Gypsy-Rose Blanchard Breaks Down 'Heartbreaking' Divorce from Ryan Anderson: 'It's Been Hard' (Exclusive)

"At the very beginning of February I got real sick with Covid, and then I ended up getting bronchitis, and that put me down for about two, three weeks," he explains. "And then Gypsy ended up getting sick, and that's when things, I guess, I don't know. That was the lowest part of our short-term marriage really."

By March, the couple were at odds and had a bad fight, according to what a friend of Blanchard's previously shared with PEOPLE. In scenes from the new trailer they can be seen arguing over Blanchard's continued friendship with her ex-fiancé Ken Urker. Still, Anderson says he had no idea things were that bad in his marriage.

Related: Inside Gypsy Rose Blanchard's Troubled Marriage: What Went Wrong with Ryan Anderson? (Exclusive)

"I'm blindsided by how fast events took place," he says. "I've done a lot of reflection and I look back at that argument. We were going through a lot. We just got into an argument and that was it. It turned out that was the last time Gypsy was really here. I've only seen her one time after that."

For more on Gypsy-Rose Blanchard, Ken Urker and Ryan Anderson, subscribe now to PEOPLE, or pick up this week's issue, on newsstands Friday.

As for Urker, who Blanchard is now dating, "Honestly, I feel like he was going to pop up at some point," he says. "He was going to rear his head in some way, and at some point we'd have to deal with this." Still he adds, "as far as the snowball effect it just happened so fast. I'm still processing things."

Related: Gypsy-Rose Blanchard Explains How New Romance Blossomed with Former Fiancé Ken Urker: 'He Is My First Love' (Exclusive)

When it comes to reports that he became overbearing in the marriage, Anderson counters, "I'm not a controlling person. You can see Gypsy does whatever she wants." He adds, "I didn't check her phone, my name popped up and I looked at one text message with my name in it. That was the only thing."

Though restraining orders were filed amid the divorce, Anderson says that they were procedural and the argument they had was in no way violent. "I haven't been deemed dangerous. Gypsy and I can see each other, the restraining order is just standard."

Asked if he misses Blanchard, he says "Of course I do. But I have to focus on myself. I have to keep living."

And he's not holding out hope for a reunion. "She's in her freedom phase, that's what she wants to do. I do know that Gypsy does have love for me and vice versa."

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