Kristy Scott posted a gym selfie and the rumors wrote themselves. Gaines disagreed.
On April 23, Kristy Scott posted a gym selfie to her Instagram Story. In the photo, she stood in a sleek black workout fit and glasses while John Gaines stood behind her, flexing in a black durag and matching gym attire. Her caption read simply GYM SESH with a bicep emoji. That was enough.
Within minutes, the image had landed in The Shade Room’s comment section, and fans were divided on whether the session was strictly professional or something more. By the next day, Bossip had run a full article on the photo and Gaines had decided he was not going to let it sit.
Why both of them were already in the conversation
Neither Gaines nor Scott arrived at this moment without context. Gaines is a fitness trainer and model known widely for his previous relationship with Grammy-winning singer Victoria Monét. The two met on the set of her music video for Moment, released in February 2020, and later announced they were expecting their daughter, Hazel, in December 2020. They ended their relationship in 2023 but kept the news private for nearly a year, releasing a joint statement in September 2024 that cited a need for growth and denied any infidelity. Since then, Gaines has regularly appeared at Monét’s events and award shows as a co-parent.
Scott, meanwhile, is navigating a high-profile divorce from Desmond Scott, her husband of more than a decade. The two were widely known online for their comedic family content. On December 30, 2025, Scott filed for divorce citing alleged infidelity. Her appearance in any new social context, particularly alongside a recognizable man, was always going to attract commentary.
How Gaines responded
Gaines reposted the Bossip article to his own Instagram and addressed the rumors in the caption. He made clear that he considered the speculation a professional matter, not a personal one, and treated it accordingly. He told his followers the rumors were false and described his training space as a safe, professional, and strictly platonic environment for every client he works with.
He framed the issue around the trust his clients place in him. Women come to him with their health goals, he explained, and that relationship requires a standard of conduct he has no intention of compromising. He stated directly that mixing professional coaching with anything personal or sexual was not something he stood for and not what his brand represented. He closed by noting that the quality of his work is what has allowed him to train the clients he has, and that he intended to protect that.
What the comment section actually looked like
Gaines’ response generated its own wave of reactions. Some followers sided with him immediately, pointing out that he regularly posts his clients on his Instagram Story and that the gym selfie was consistent with how he documents his work. Others found the timeline of his response notable, suggesting he had let the story run longer than necessary before stepping in.
A portion of the commentary focused less on Gaines and more on Scott herself, with some users suggesting she was aware of how the photo would read. Others pushed back on that interpretation entirely, arguing that two people cannot take a gym photo without the internet manufacturing a relationship.
The Gaines brand and what is actually at stake
What made Gaines’ response stand out was the framing. He did not just deny the rumors. He connected them to his livelihood and to the women who trust him as a trainer. That decision shifted the conversation from gossip to something closer to a professional statement of values, which landed differently than a simple denial would have.
Both Scott and Gaines have handled public splits with a degree of maturity that their respective audiences have noticed. Neither has used social media to relitigate their past relationships. Whether that restraint continues as the two remain in overlapping social circles is the part the internet is now watching most closely.
Gaines made his position clear. The photo stays a gym photo until there is evidence otherwise.