Bravo Andy Cohen at BravoCon 2022
Fans were abuzz on Saturday, October 15, when photos of BravoCon After Dark began circulating on social media showing one unexpected romantic cross-over.
Ashley Darby, who announced her separation from her husband of nearly eight years Michael Darby back in April 2022, was spotted holding hands and spending time with “Summer House” star Luke Gulbranson. A photo of the two looking cozy was even shared by Bravo’s official Instagram account, but other photos and videos confirmed that it was more than a photo op:
Photos shared by the Queens of Bravo Twitter account showed the “Real Housewives of Potomac” star and Gulbranson having a good time together:
It’s not just a photo op. They’re hanging #RHOP x #SummerHouse
And if there was any doubt that the two were just hanging out platonically, a video posted on Instagram by the Bravo by Betches account showed the two holding hands as they walked out a door together:
Naturally, both Bravolebrities were asked about their linkup and Darby and Gulbranson both gave more insight into what happened.
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Ashley Darby Spoke About Luke Gulbranson During the RHOP Panel & Said They Hung Out the Night Before Outside of BravoCon
Are @_AshleyDarby & @gulbranson_luke going to be our next Bravo couple? #BravoCon
During the RHOP panel, Darby was told that fans were supporting her amid her divorce from Michael Darby. She was then asked for the latest regarding Gulbranson and she confirmed that they “hung out” the night before away from BravoCon.
Later in the panel, People reported that she said she was having a “really fun time.” She added, “We actually went to the Bravo After Dark party. Turns out we have a lot of common interests. We both like horseback riding and hiking and all that crunchy s***. A girl doesn’t kiss and tell. Can I plead the fifth?”
Gulbranson, on the other hand, spoke with People along with his “Summer House” co-star Andrea Denver. He said he and Darby had met the night before at BravoCon and had a “nice chat” and he was looking forward to continuing that during the weekend. Denver chimed in and told the publication that the two Bravolebrities looked like “two high school lovers.”
Luke Gulbranson’s Co-Stars Were in Full Support of the Pairing & Fans Also Shared Their Enthusiasm for the Unexpected Couple
It seems as though fans and fellow Bravolebs alike are all for this pairing as the comments and support poured in on various social media pages. “Summer House” veteran Lindsay Hubbard told People that she shared a car with Darby on their way to a BravoCon event and she played the wingwoman for Gulbranson on the way following Darby’s admission on “Watch What Happens Live” that she thought the hockey coach was “hot.”
Hubbard said she told Darby that Gulbranson was a close friend and was “talking him up.” Carl Radke also pointed out in the same People interview that Gulbranson is great with kids. “[Luke] coaches hockey, he works with kids, he loves kids,” he shared in reference to the fact that Darby is a mother of two young boys. “I mean, it could work,” he added.
There were also tons of positive comments in response to the photos on Instagram, as well as a few Reddit threads on the topic. One of them, sharing a photo of the two together, picked up over 500 upvotes and saw fans comment that they were “fully supporting” the possible couple.
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