Stephen Colletti Says Laguna Beach Kristin Cavallari/Lauren Conrad 'Love Triangle' Made His 'Blood Boil'

MTV/Photofest Laguna Beach

Stephen Colletti is getting real about a major Laguna Beach storyline.

Reflecting on the MTV show's portrayal that he was cheating on then-girlfriend Kristin Cavallari with costar Lauren Conrad, the 36-year-old shut down that narrative as being crafted by the show's producers.

"I had a huge problem with this because look, obviously they created this show around this love triangle and there's moments where you and I were broken up and they had learned about Lauren and I hooking up and being very good friends," he explained on this week's episode of Dear Media's Back to the Beach with Kristin and Stephen podcast.

"And, you know, obviously, stuff happened at certain times," he acknowledged, "but at no point ever whenever we were together, you know, would I step out on you in that way. And they really paint [it like] that's what I'm doing throughout the show — which I have a huge problem with."

RELATED: Kristin Cavallari and Stephen Colletti Don't Think Anyone Under 18 Should Be on Reality TV

Emma McIntyre /AMA2020/Getty; Gregg DeGuire/Getty; Stefanie Keenan/Getty

Speaking specifically on the trio's supposed love triangle, Colletti did give credit to "the genius of [the show's] editing. You have to hand it to them, they really crafted this storyline in a way that I think that's what made audiences really engaged."

"And that's, I think, the nuts and bolts of the show is they had stories and naive kids learning about what is going on in their lives and really setting up those situations for it to kind of thrive again," he continued. "Or you know, finding a way to have a friend, ask a question or getting you to talk about something similar or talk about it in this way. And us having no idea that they could pull certain parts of our sentences and then put them together."

Colletti admitted the entire situation made his "blood boil a little bit."

Cavallari agreed, "It's like they decided to just put us in a box and they would not stray from that for the entire season."

The Uncommon James founder, 35, continued, "Like, they decided, 'Okay, this is how we're gonna make Stephen look. And I don't care what's really going on in his life, we are gonna continue to hammer that home and keep going back to that same storyline.'"

RELATED: Exes Kristin Cavallari and Stephen Colletti on Their Friendship, Laguna Beach Podcast: We've 'Learned a Lot'

Dear Media

Colletti then pointed out how Cavallari experienced the "same" treatment as she was positioned as the show's mean girl, but she countered that she "could make the same argument for everybody" in the cast.

"They drill those personality traits that they wanted to blow up for each person or, or heighten with each person they drill 'em in constantly. And they're constantly reminding the audience," Colletti said. "That's why one of the key parts of the show is the 'Previously On' [recap told in] Lauren's voiceover, because you have very clear, seemingly honest moments where she's explaining what happened and look what's about to happen. Right? And [the] audience, that's getting drilled into them."

RELATED: Lauren Conrad, Stephen Colletti and More Laguna Beach Stars Reunite: 'What a Dream'

Albert L. Ortega/WireImage

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Laguna Beach aired for three seasons on MTV between 2004 and 2006. But the third season was led by a whole new group of stars, featuring Conrad's younger sister Breanna Conrad.

Colletti and Cavallari's on-and-off relationship began before the cameras started rolling on Laguna Beach in the early 2000s. The series depicted Conrad, now 36, as another love interest for the One Tree Hill alum.

Cavallari went on to wed Jay Cutler in 2013 but their divorce was finalized this year. Conrad, for her part, has been married to William Tell since 2014.

Meanwhile, Colletti recently confirmed his relationship with girlfriend Alex Weaver.