Real Housewives Star Confirms Breakup

broken heart

PIRO/Pixabay A Real Housewives star's relationship has ended.

A Real Housewives star set the record straight on her relationship status.

Several months after starting a romance with a fellow Bravo star, “The Real Housewives of Potomac’s” Ashley Darby confirmed she is single.

Darby and her ex-husband, Michael, are currently in the middle of a divorce, which should be finalized in the next month, she told Andy Cohen on a January 2023 episode of “Watch What Happens Live.” But Cohen seemed to be more interested in the status of her romance with “Summer House” star Luke Gulbranson, whom she first met at BravoCon in October 2022.

Here’s what you need to know:


Ashley Darby Said It’s Over Between Her & Luke Gulbranson

Luke Gulbranson and Ashley Darby

BravoLuke Gulbranson and Ashley Darby

Darby was a guest on “Watch What Happens Live” on January 8, 2023. Host Cohen got right into it with the 34-year-old mom of two as he pointed out that she has taken down an Instagram photo of her and Gulbranson, 39. After Cohen asked her “What’s happening,” Darby explained the situation.

“So Luke and I are not romantically involved,” she said. “Really my life is very complicated, as you guys can imagine. I’m going through a very difficult situation and Luke was a trooper. Believe me, he went through some things.”

When Cohen asked if the difficulties involved her ex “not being thrilled about the relationship,” she said it was more about the hard time she is having co-parenting with her ex-husband and separating herself from her family situation.

“Like I said he was a trooper,” she said of Gulbranson. “I met his whole family, they were amazing. I fell in love with them so… But you know,  I am newly single and this is my first relationship after …you know it’s just nice to be reminded that I am that girl and I love to love.”

After Cohen noted that if they had already met each other’s families, maybe things had moved “a little too fast,” Darby replied, “You have to talk to Luke about that.”

On the “Watch What Happens Live Aftershow,” Cohen asked Darby if she was still friendly with Gulbranson, considering she deleted the photo of the two of them from her Instagram page.

“Yes we are friendly,” she said, before admitting she does not follow Gulbranson on Instagram anymore.

When Cohen said he didn’t understand why she deleted the picture of Gulbranson and doesn’t follow him even though they are amicable, Darby explained. “I like to sort of like put the period on things,” she said.


Andy Cohen Set Up Ashley Darby & Luke Gulbranson

Luke Gulbranson and Ashley Darby

BravoLuke Gulbranson and Ashley Darby at BravoCon.

Six months after Darby announced her split from her husband, Cohen began playing matchmaker for her.

According to Page Six, during a “Watch What Happens Live” taping in October 2022, Cohen told Darby he could see a romance between her and Gulbranson.  “I like this idea. … I’m gonna try to set you up. I have a feeling he will be [interested],” the Bravo host said at the time.

At BravoCon days later, Cohen revealed on the “Andy’s Mystery Door” episode of WWHL that Darby and Gulbranson “were really, really hitting it off” at a party during the fan fest weekend. The two were ultimately photographed hanging out together in Washington D.C. and in New York City multiple times over the next few months.

In December 2022, Darby told Today she had seen Gulbranson several times since first meeting him at BravoCon, and that they spent time “talking on the phone more than anything else.”

“We have different cultural backgrounds,” she added. “We have different interests, he’s the on-the-go mountain man and I’m a pretty city girl.”

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