Gabby Windey Opens Up About Working Through the Power Dynamics of Reality TV

The former Bachelorette and "Long Winded" host spoke to editor-in-chief Nikki Ogunnaike for the 'Marie Claire' podcast "Nice Talk."

gabby windey on the nice talk podcast
(Image credit: Future/Photo by Andie Jane)

Welcome to Nice Talk, hosted by Marie Claire Editor in Chief Nikki Ogunnaike. Each week, Nikki sits down with fascinating women—entertainers, entrepreneurs, creators, athletes, and changemakers—to discuss money, power, and style. “Well-behaved” women have long been discouraged from speaking on these topics—style should be effortless, and conversations about money or power aren’t “proper,” “ladylike,” or “nice.” But Nikki's definition of a Nice Talk is one where all parties walk away feeling empowered. You can listen to Nice Talk with Nikki Ogunnaike on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Gabby Windey looked for love on TV in 2022 as a contestant on The Bachelor and as the first-ever co-lead on The Bachelorette, but it wasn't until later that she found it, with comedian Robby Hoffman.

While Windey will soon return to our screens as a contestant on the forthcoming Traitors season 3, on the latest episode of the Marie Claire podcast "Nice Talk," she reveals whether she and her girlfriend would ever star in a reality show together.

"We've had meetings and people approach us that are like, 'Would you guys do a reality show together? Are you interested in doing this and this?'" the "Long Winded" podcast host shares. "And we're like, it just seems like it whenever you do reality shows about your love life and stuff, like what else is the drama besides tearing you guys apart?"

"I don't want to exploit my relationship in that way," she adds.

Windey, who has been in a relationship with the comic/TV writer since May 2023, continues, "I don't want to let anyone else kind of have a story quote-unquote 'about us.'"

The former Bachelorette also spoke highly of Hoffman, whom she publicly announced she was dating last year after coming out on an August 2023 episode of The View. "I think Robby and I do a really good job of protecting our relationship and putting our relationship first," she says.

Windey shares more insight about dating in the public eye; what it was like being a Denver Broncos cheerleader while working as an ICU nurse; and what she's learned as her career's taken different paths on this week's installment of "Nice Talk." The episode is out now wherever you listen to podcasts.

Sadie Bell
Senior Culture Editor

Sadie Bell is the Senior Culture Editor at Marie Claire, where she edits, writes, and helps to ideate stories across movies, TV, books, and music, from interviews with talent to pop culture features and trend stories. She has a passion for uplifting rising stars, and a special interest in cult-classic movies, emerging arts scenes, and music. She has over eight years of experience covering pop culture and her byline has appeared in Billboard, Interview Magazine, NYLON, PEOPLE, Rolling Stone, Thrillist and other outlets.