Teddi Mellencamp Says Relationship With New Man Ricci Rea Is Already Over: ‘Had to Call Things Off’

Teddi Mellencamp is moving on from Ricci Rea already.

“You guys, [the] press needs to get on it a little bit faster because by the time they figured out who my mystery man was, we’re already done,” Mellencamp, 44, said during the Friday, July 11, episode of iHeartRadio’s “Diamonds in the Rough” podcast. “I had to call things off.”

Cohost Erika Jayne said she “wasn’t expecting” Mellencamp to say that.

“All of a sudden, I open up the freaking worldwide web,” Mellencamp continued. “I’m like, ‘The mystery man.’ Oh, now you guys figured it out.”

When Jayne, 54, asked what happened, Mellencamp explained that she’s currently unable to be in a long-term relationship — which is where she saw this heading.

“Right now, it started getting to the point where it’s starting to get a little bit more serious. I was like, ‘I don’t have the capacity for this right now,’” Mellencamp explained. “He’s a really nice guy, couldn’t be a nicer guy.”

Mellencamp agreed with Jayne’s assessment that the “timing sucks” for a new romance.

“I don’t feel my best. So, when I have downtime, I want to rest,” Mellencamp continued. “It’s not even, like, about a need right now, and I think that’s the crazy thing about this.”

Mellencamp sparked romance rumors with Rea last month when Page Six published photos of them as Mellencamp continues to undergo treatment for stage IV cancer. The former Bravo star was initially diagnosed with melanoma, but in February revealed that the cancer had metastasized to her brain and lungs. In April, Mellencamp shared an Instagram video, revealing that all of her tumors have “significantly shrunk” since starting treatment. She continues to offer frequent updates on her health journey to her social media followers

Mellencamp’s recent romance with Rea marked her first public relationship since her November 2024 split from Edwin Arroyave after 13 years of marriage. The former couple share kids Slate, 12, Cruz, 10, and Dove, 5.

“Who knows? “Three months from now, something else may be happening. I don’t know,” she said. “But in the way I’m feeling right this moment, the second I’m done working with my kids and doing all the stuff that I need to do, I want to lay.”

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum confirmed there was “nothing” that Rea did wrong in their relationship.

“Nothing dramatic happened, other than the press being a little slow on it,” Mellencamp concluded.