Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola wasn’t thrilled she had to film again with her ex Ronnie Ortiz-Magro on Family Vacation Season 7.
The Jersey Shore castmates dated throughout the show’s original run on MTV and for several years afterward, but they officially broke up in 2016.
After the breakup, Sammi stayed away from reality TV as she healed and matured from her and Ronnie’s tumultuous relationship.
Ronnie appeared as a cast member on multiple seasons of the spinoff Family Vacation but stepped away within the past few years to work on his sobriety and mental health.
Meanwhile, Sammi returned to join most of her castmates for Family Vacation Season 6, with episodes airing last year.
She avoided seeing Ronnie as he returned to visit with his castmates for several episodes and started to make amends for his past behavior. However, Sammie and Ronnie will cross paths in Season 7 as it was revealed he rejoined the spinoff’s main cast.
Sammi and Ronnie to reunite on Season 7
The Jersey Shore stars will be vacationing in Nashville, Tennessee, during some of the Season 7 episodes. That includes Angelina Pivarnick, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, Jenni “JWoww” Farley, Paul “Pauly D” DelVecchio, and Vinny Guadagnino.
That trip also includes Sammi and her ex-boyfriend Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, per E! News.
Last year, Sammi spoke with E! News about returning 10 years later to Jersey Shore: Family Vacation Season 6 and being faced with the idea of her ex being featured in episodes. As mentioned, they never crossed paths but will reunite in upcoming episodes of Season 7.
The media outlet caught up with her again and asked her what she thought about filming with him for the upcoming season.
“I, of course, was not fond of filming with an ex-boyfriend,” Sammi said, adding, “You’re gonna see me basically navigate that, and you’re gonna see it all play out.”
“But of course, I knew eventually that this would happen. And you’re gonna just see, I guess, my reaction—how it all plays out,” she shared.
When the official Season 7 teaser trailer arrived, fans saw a focus on Ronnie’s return and several interesting reactions from his ex, Sammi.
However, only one scene showed them at the same table in a restaurant with castmates, and the exes were seated far apart, leaving it a mystery regarding their reunion.
Sammi teases ‘wedding bells’ for her current relationship
A year after her 2016 split from Ronnie, Sammi began dating YouTuber Christian Biscardi. They continued dating into 2019 and got engaged.
They planned for a wedding in 2020 but had to postpone plans due to the coronavirus pandemic. That postponement may have been for the best, as they split in 2021.
She’s currently dating bartender Justin May, whom she met in 2022. Sammi introduced her castmates to Justin in Season 6 of Family Vacation, and it seemed everyone got along. Ronnie was not among those who met him.
Based on Sammi’s comments to E! News, she couldn’t be happier with her current relationship.
“Justin, I absolutely love and adore,” she said, adding, “You’re gonna see a lot of him on this season, and I hope there’s wedding bells in the near future. I love him. He’s the one for me, and I know that.”
It’s unknown what the extent of Sammi and Ronnie’s interactions or conversations will be during Season 7, but it’s clear it wasn’t the most exciting thing for her when filming with her castmates.
She previously mentioned viewing Ronnie like a “co-worker” on the show and said she could “co-exist” with him. And when asked by E! News if she had any old feelings resurface upon reuniting with Ronnie, she replied, “Hell no!”
Jersey Shore: Family Vacation Season 7 premieres Thursday, February 8 at 8/7c on MTV.