Gabby Windey Discusses Co-‘Bachelorette’ Rachel Recchia’s ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Stint: ‘So Proud’
Gabby Windey may have found love away from Bachelor Nation, but she is watching former co-Bachelorette Rachel Recchia’s stint on season 9 of Bachelor in Paradise with pride, she reveals during an exclusive video interview with Life & Style.
“I just want to support her. I’m honestly just so proud of her in whatever she does,” Gabby, 32, exclusively tells Life & Style about Rachel, 27, while promoting her new holiday line with Cupshe.
Both Gabby and Rachel are no strangers to Bachelor Nation. They appeared on season 26 of The Bachelor, where they both pursued a relationship with Clayton Echard. After Clayton, 30, infamously said he loved both Gabby and Rachel, he ultimately decided to give his final rose to Susie Evans.
Following their heartbreaking experiences on The Bachelor, Gabby and Rachel were given the opportunity to costar on season 19 of The Bachelorette. Gabby became engaged to Erich Schwer, while Tino Franco proposed to Rachel during the finale. However, Rachel and Tino, 29, split before the finale aired in September 2022, while Gabby and Erich, 30, called it quits in November 2022.
Despite not finding their forever partners on the show, Gabby says that Rachel can take the lessons she learned as the Bachelorette to help her on Bachelor in Paradise.
“I think any experience obviously helps,” Gabby says, noting that Rachel has been oncamera long enough to now feel “more comfortable.” She adds that the pilot is also “familiar with the process.”
Gabby continues, “She knows what she’s doing. I’m so excited to see how things pan out for her.”
However, Rachel isn’t the only person Gabby is excited to watch on the show. She tells Life & Style that she’s looking forward to watching Blake Moynes, as well as newer contestants she hasn’t met yet.
“I think it’s a lot of people from the newer seasons like Zach [Shallcross] and Charity [Lawson],” she says of the season 9 cast. “I’m excited for the alumni. I feel like I’m an alumni now, so it’s like OGs.”
Gabby revealed her relationship with her girlfriend, Robby Hoffman, in August, so fans likely won’t see her on dating shows anytime soon. However, she is currently setting her focus on her holiday clothing line with Cupshe, which she says is a “great collection” that “has something for everybody.”
The Dancing With the Stars alum also shares how her interest in fashion began. “I’ve always loved clothes and I feel like I’ve always been interested in it,” she explains. “I feel like my knowledge now that I’m in my 30s is growing, so I feel like I’m kind of at the beginning.”
