Craig Conover

Craig Conover
Birthplace	Delaware, United States
Nationality	American
Occupation	Television personality, entrepreneur, author
Known for	Southern Charm (Bravo TV)

Craig Conover is an American television personality, entrepreneur, and author who has appeared as a main cast member on the Bravo reality television series Southern Charm since its premiere in 2014. Set in Charleston, South Carolina, the series follows a group of socialites navigating personal relationships, professional ambitions, and the social traditions of the American South. Conover, originally from Delaware, became one of the show's central figures, with storylines that have explored his law career, romantic relationships, and business ventures. Over the course of more than a decade on the series, he has evolved from a younger cast member finding his footing professionally to an established entrepreneur and one of the longest-tenured personalities on the show. His personal life, particularly his romantic relationships with fellow Bravo personality Paige DeSorbo and, more recently, Charley Manley, has drawn significant media attention. As of 2026, Conover continues to appear on Southern Charm, which aired its eleventh season reunion in March of that year.

Early Life

Craig Conover was raised in Delaware, in the northeastern United States. Details regarding his parents, siblings, and childhood have been discussed in various interviews over the years in connection with his appearances on Southern Charm, though specific biographical details about his upbringing prior to his move to South Carolina remain limited in publicly documented sources. Conover relocated to Charleston, South Carolina, where he would eventually become associated with the city's social scene, a milieu that formed the foundation of the Bravo series on which he rose to prominence.

Education

Conover attended the Charleston School of Law in South Carolina. His pursuit of a law degree and the challenges he encountered in completing his legal education and passing the bar exam were featured as significant storylines during the early seasons of Southern Charm. His academic and professional trajectory in the legal field became a recurring topic of discussion among his castmates and on the show, as viewers followed his efforts to establish himself as a practicing attorney.

Career

Television: Southern Charm

Craig Conover has been a main cast member on Bravo's Southern Charm since the series debuted in 2014. The show, set in Charleston, South Carolina, chronicles the lives and social interactions of a group of residents, many of whom come from prominent Southern families or have become part of Charleston's social elite. Conover joined the cast as one of the younger members and quickly became a fan favorite for his candid personality and willingness to address personal struggles on camera.

Over the course of the show's run, Conover's storylines have encompassed a wide range of personal and professional developments. In the early seasons, much attention was focused on his efforts to complete law school and pass the bar examination. Later seasons shifted focus toward his entrepreneurial ventures and romantic relationships. He has appeared alongside fellow long-running cast members including Shep Rose and Austen Kroll, with whom he has maintained both friendships and rivalries that have played out across multiple seasons.

By the show's eleventh season, which aired in early 2026, Conover remained one of the central figures on the series. The season featured his romantic relationship with Charley Manley, a fellow cast member, and the subsequent end of that relationship became a focal point of the season's narrative arc. The season finale and reunion episodes generated substantial media coverage, with Conover making statements comparing his feelings for Manley with those he had previously held for Paige DeSorbo, a cast member on the Bravo series Summer House with whom he had a prior relationship.

The Season 11 reunion, which aired in March 2026, was notable for several confrontations. Conover and Manley clashed publicly over differing accounts of why their relationship ended, with Conover stating that he did not share the same explanation as Manley for their split. Manley, for her part, had previously revealed details about her decision to end the relationship on the Southern Charm After Show, citing a "change of feelings" as the primary factor.

During the reunion, Conover also addressed accusations from castmates and viewers who had characterized him as a "narcissist." In a preview clip that circulated ahead of the reunion's broadcast, Conover responded directly to the accusation, defending his behavior and pushing back against the characterization. The reunion was recapped extensively in reality television media, with outlets noting the emotional intensity of the exchanges between Conover and several of his castmates.

Conover's comments comparing Manley and DeSorbo drew particular attention from viewers and media outlets. One reality television news site reported that Conover "stunned" viewers with his remarks about the two women, suggesting that the comments generated significant discussion among the show's audience.

Beyond the interpersonal drama, the show's eleventh season also attracted commentary about the cast's fashion choices. PAPER Magazine published a piece examining the fashion of Southern Charm Season 11 as part of a broader series about fashion on Bravo programming, situating the show within the network's broader cultural footprint.

Relationships with Other Bravo Personalities

Conover's connections within the broader Bravo television universe have extended beyond Southern Charm. His relationship with Paige DeSorbo, a cast member on Summer House, was a high-profile element of both shows for a period of time. The relationship and its aftermath continued to be referenced in media coverage through 2026, as Conover publicly compared his feelings for DeSorbo and Manley.

Conover has also maintained friendships and social relationships with other figures in the Bravo ecosystem. Andy Cohen, the host of Watch What Happens Live and an executive producer of much of Bravo's programming, recounted a night out with Conover, Austen Kroll, Shep Rose, and musician John Mayer, describing the evening as "chaotic." The anecdote illustrated the degree to which the Southern Charm cast members have become embedded in a wider celebrity social network connected to the Bravo brand.

Entrepreneurship

Outside of television, Craig Conover has pursued entrepreneurial ventures, most notably in the home goods and lifestyle space. He founded Sewing Down South, a company that sells handmade pillows, blankets, and other home accessories. The brand grew out of Conover's interest in sewing, which was initially presented on Southern Charm and became one of his defining characteristics on the show. The sewing hobby, which at first drew skepticism from some of his castmates, eventually became the basis of a commercial enterprise. Sewing Down South has operated both online and through retail partnerships, becoming one of the more notable business ventures to emerge from the Bravo reality television universe.

Author

Conover is also an author, having published a book that discussed his personal experiences, including his time on Southern Charm and his life in Charleston. The book offered a first-person account of his trajectory from a young man navigating post-college life in the South to a reality television personality and entrepreneur.

Personal Life

Craig Conover is based in Charleston, South Carolina, where he has resided since moving there for law school. His romantic life has been a central element of his public persona, largely due to its prominence on Southern Charm.

Conover's relationship with Paige DeSorbo of Summer House attracted significant media attention during and after its duration. The relationship played out across multiple Bravo series and was a subject of tabloid and entertainment media coverage.

During Season 11 of Southern Charm, Conover's romantic involvement with Charley Manley, a new cast member, was featured prominently. The relationship ended prior to the season's conclusion, with both parties offering differing accounts of the breakup. Manley stated that she experienced a "change of feelings" and chose to end the relationship. Conover, however, indicated at the reunion that he did not share the same explanation for the split, leading to a tense on-camera exchange between the two. On the season finale, Conover made public comments comparing his feelings for Manley with those he had held for DeSorbo, a statement that drew widespread attention from viewers and media commentators.

Recognition

Craig Conover's recognition is primarily derived from his long tenure on Southern Charm, which has made him one of the more recognizable figures in Bravo's reality television lineup. Over more than a decade on the series, he has built a substantial following on social media and has been featured in numerous entertainment and lifestyle publications.

His entrepreneurial venture, Sewing Down South, has received media attention both as a standalone business and as an example of a reality television personality leveraging on-screen exposure into a commercial enterprise. The brand has been covered in lifestyle and business media outlets.

Conover's presence in the broader Bravo universe — including appearances on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen and crossover storylines with other Bravo series — has contributed to his profile as a figure within the network's interconnected roster of personalities. His social outings with figures such as Andy Cohen and John Mayer have been noted in entertainment media.

The Season 11 reunion of Southern Charm generated notable coverage across reality television media, with Conover's confrontations and personal revelations serving as focal points of recaps and analysis. Multiple outlets published detailed accounts of the reunion episodes, reflecting the continued public interest in Conover's personal and on-screen life.

PAPER Magazine's inclusion of Southern Charm Season 11 in its examination of fashion on Bravo programming further underscored the cultural visibility of the show and its cast, including Conover.