Gypsy Rose Blanchard‘s love life has been the topic of conversation since before she left prison, and it’s taken yet another unexpected turn in recent months. Turns out she’s rekindled her romance with former flame Ken Urker and is now pregnant.
Recycling ex-boyfriends often doesn’t work out but the two seem smitten with one another. The pair’s relationship has captured public attention, especially given Blanchard’s high-profile past and recent release from prison.
According to People Magazine, Urker, 31, who currently lives in Texas, first entered Blanchard’s life after watching the HBO documentary Mommy Dead and Dearest, which detailed her troubled upbringing and the abuse she endured from her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. Moved by her story, Urker reached out with a letter of support, kickstarting their correspondence. Their pen-pal relationship quickly blossomed into something more.
Who’s the man that stole Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s heart?
“We would spend hours on the phone. I talked to him like I had known him my whole life and vice versa.”
Gypsy Rose Blanchard
Gypsy has described him as having a “very kind heart” and being “kind of a nerd” like herself. “He wears his heart on his sleeve,” she shared in a 2019 interview with E! News. “We are particularly totally in love with Harry Potter.”
The couple’s relationship progressed quickly, with Urker proposing in October 2018. Blanchard shared that they had discussed marriage beforehand, making the proposal expected but no less special. Urker initially gave her a silver band, which was later confiscated in prison. But, eager for Blanchard to have a symbol of their commitment, he ended up just buying her another one.
Coming from a large family, Urker’s background contrasted with Blanchard’s upbringing as an only child who was deliberately isolated from relatives. She expressed relief that his family was supportive of their relationship, having watched the documentary and understood her story. However, their engagement wasn’t without its issues. The couple was more or less on-again-off-again during their initial time together, briefly calling off their engagement in August 2019 before eventually reconciling. Blanchard later opened up about the heartbreak she experienced when Urker ended their relationship, saying, “He left me and it broke my heart.”
Blanchard went on to marry Ryan Scott Anderson in June 2022 while still incarcerated. Yet, even in the lead-up to her wedding, Blanchard admitted to having lingering feelings for Urker. In her Lifetime docuseries, she revealed she had been in contact with Urker just weeks before her marriage to Anderson, causing tension in her new relationship.
Following Blanchard’s release from prison in December 2023 and her subsequent split from Anderson in March 2024, she and Urker reconnected. They were spotted having lunch together and getting matching tattoos in April, sparking reconciliation rumors. By late April, multiple sources confirmed that Blanchard and Urker were officially back on. Urker even made the move to New Orleans in early June to be closer to Blanchard, demonstrating his commitment to their rekindled romance.
Blanchard hasn’t been shy about sharing her happiness on social media. She’s posted montages of their time together, including photos from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and intimate moments of the couple kissing. These public displays of affection have drawn both support and criticism from fans and observers.
While some applaud Blanchard for finding happiness, others have expressed concern about the speed of her relationship transitions. Blanchard’s ex-husband, Ryan Anderson, admitted it was “hard to watch unfold in the public eye,” particularly mentioning the matching tattoos as something that “really, really hurt.” Despite the whirlwind nature of their reconciliation, Blanchard has emphasized her desire to take things slow with Urker.
“I don’t want to move too fast because, you know, I want to pace myself,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “We’re just basically enjoying our time together and, you know, hopeful for what the future has.”
Gypsy Rose Blanchard
As Blanchard continues to navigate life after her release from prison, her relationship with Urker remains a focal point of public interest. With her docuseries Gypsy Rose: Life After Lockup airing on Lifetime (Mondays at 9 p.m. ET), viewers have a front-row seat to the unfolding of this latest chapter in her life. With a baby on the way, Blanchard and Urker’s story is far from over, and the public’s fascination with their romance shows no signs of waning.