Bachelorette star Gabby Windey comes out and confirms she’s dating comedian Robby Hoffman
The Bachelorette star Gabby Windey has come out publicly after confirming that she is dating comedian and writer Robby Hoffman – a relationship she described as “the best experience”.
Reality TV star Windey, 32, who appeared on both The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, came out on Instagram, saying she’s in a relationship “like I’ve never had before” with a woman.
She posted a series of photos of herself and Hoffman together with the caption: “Told you I’m a girl’s girl!!”
Expanding further in her Instagram stories on Wednesday (August 2), she said: “It’s hard to get it out all right now but I know everyone’s been really curious about who I’m dating.
“You know I love to stir the pot and tease, but I did want to wait until I was ready, because it is a larger conversation – because I’m dating a girl.
“It’s been honestly truly, like really, the best experience over these last three months. And I’ve been in a relationship like I feel like I’ve never had before.”
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Appearing on The View on Wednesday (2 August), Windey explained that she had felt a “whisper” of being attracted to women over the last few years, that got “louder and louder”.
“I always want to live my truth and my story… I’ve been keeping it a little more private because it is a bigger story and a bigger conversation, because I’m dating a girl,” she said, prompting applause and cheers from the show’s host and audience.
Windey added: “I think when this happens, there’s some shame obviously surrounding it, so I think I had to a little bit navigate through the shame. Like what is it? Where is it coming from? But ultimately… I always just want to kind of do me, do what I want, figure it out later.”
She added that she comes from a “conservative family and a heteronormative world”, referring to cheerleading and dating shows.
“It’s not something my parents ever imagined for me… it’s going to take time, just like the rest of the world, just like for me, it took me a while to stop questioning and start trusting,” she said.
“Obviously, it’s about sexuality, but it’s also the person I met. She is so special. She makes me feel so safe, so loved. Like a love that I always wanted going on these dating shows.”
Windey, who worked as an ICU nurse during the Covid-19 pandemic, has joined a handful of former Bachelor and Bachelorette stars who came out as LGBTQ+ after their time on the show.
In 2021, The Bachelor star Colton Underwood came out as gay during an appearance on Good Morning America. A few days later, Australia’s The Bachelor star Abbie Chatfield said she identifies as queer after she had a “revelation”.
In the same year, The Bachelorette Australia featured Brooke Blurton, its first openly bisexual lead.
“My perfect person is someone that loves me for me,” Blurton said. “I hope they offer shared values and compassion for others. All the dreamy things!”