Rumors surrounding the relationship between John Lloyd Cruz and Isabel Santos began circulating after eagle-eyed netizens noticed that the two are no longer following each other on Instagram. As of January 15, the couple were absent from each other’s following lists, sparking speculation about a possible split.
Despite this development, the couple still follow each other on the actor’s other Instagram account with the handle @dumpsitegallery.
Their respective Instagram accounts likewise continue to feature photos of one another, suggesting that no content has been removed amid the online buzz.
The unfollowing comes just weeks after the couple was last seen together publicly. In December, Isabel accompanied John Lloyd in supporting his son Elias during a piano recital. She shared photos and a backstage video from the event, several of which were reposted by John Lloyd’s former partner and Elias's mother, Ellen Adarna, who wrote on her Instagram stories, “Hi tita sabel! 👋”.
The friendly dynamic among them was further highlighted when John Lloyd, Isabel, Ellen, and friends posed together in a photo shared on Instagram stories.
READ: Ellen Adarna and John Lloyd Cruz reunite to support their son Elias at his piano recital
John Lloyd and Isabel’s relationship first caught public attention in April 2022, when Isabel posted a photo of the actor with a dog. By June of that year, the actor was photographed giving Isabel a kiss on the cheek when she visited him on the set of his sitcom to celebrate his birthday, with Isabel also seen holding his birthday cake. Their appearances together continued, including a trip to the Laver Cup in London, England, in September. During that time, Isabel shared a post showing them enjoying a glass of beer.
By October 2022, the couple became more open about their relationship, sharing photos from a vacation in Italy. Their shared moments extended into March 2023, when they visited an animal shelter together with hopes of adopting and rescuing a dog.
In October 2023, John Lloyd confirmed his romantic relationship with Isabel in an interview with the King of Talk Boy Abunda. Responding to the question about Isabel’s role in his life, John Lloyd said, “Si Isabel ay girlfriend ko, oo or boyfriend niya ako.”
He went on to describe their relationship and history, saying, “We are boring people, wala kaming maikukuwento, ganyan lang kami. Gallery nila 'yung una kong pinasok na gallery. It was at the time na bago pa lang akong tumigil with ABS-CBN. Napadpad ako sa page-explore ng (art). So, gallery nila 'yung una kong napasok, family nila... Matagal na kaming magkakilala. We were talking before pero hindi nag-evolve into something ideal for us at that time. Mula noon, present na rin siya sa buhay ko.”
In the same interview, John Lloyd shared that he still believes in marriage and that Isabel plays an important role in that belief. “Siyempre 'yung consideration lagi for the two of us, especially para sa kanya, laging nandoon,” he said.
As discussions continue online following the Instagram unfollowing, John Lloyd and Isabel have yet to comment on the speculations surrounding their relationship as of this writing.