Ken Urker Dumped Gypsy-Rose Blanchard After Listening to Dr. Phil; Here’s Why They Got Back Together

Ken Urker ended his relationship with Gypsy-Rose Blanchard after listening to Dr. Phil’s podcast, where the TV host discussed her past and mentioned Urker by name.

Written by Sakina Kaukawala , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Mar 09, 2025 | 05:13 AM GMT | 16.8K

Gypsy-Rose Blanchard and Ken Urker (via Instagram)

Ken Urker, Gypsy-Rose Blanchard’s boyfriend, says outside opinions, including those from Dr. Phil, played a major role in their temporary split.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Urker shared that he was influenced by a podcast where Dr. Phil discussed Gypsy-Rose’s case and mentioned him by name.

“I had a lot of people in my ear telling me that the best thing I could do for her was to give her some time to build a self-identity,” Urker stated. “I listened to a podcast from Dr. Phil, and I felt like that was the right choice to make at the time for both of us.”

Urker and Blanchard had first connected while she was in prison for the murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. They got engaged in 2018 but later called it off before reuniting in 2019. Their relationship ended again, and Blanchard went on to marry Ryan Anderson before divorcing him in 2024.

After Blanchard’s marriage to Anderson ended, she and Urker found their way back to each other. Urker said their first meeting after her release happened in April 2024, and it felt like they had never been apart.

Urker recalled that he first visited Blanchard the first weekend of April after her release, and they had an incredible time together.

Their relationship quickly progressed, and a month later, they attended a jazz festival. Soon after, they found out they were expecting a baby, which led Urker to move to Missouri to be with Blanchard.

Urker said he no longer had concerns about Blanchard needing time to build her own identity and was amazed by how much she had transformed since leaving prison. He shared that she had blossomed into an incredible person and is proud in having her as the mother of their child and as his partner in life.

Blanchard also felt their relationship was stronger than before. She stated that they had been very young when they first got engaged, but now, in their early 30s, they had matured a lot. While the love had always been there, she believed it was the wrong time back then but the right time now.

Blanchard and Urker’s renewed relationship is featured in Gypsy Rose: Life After Lock Up season 2, premiering March 10 on Lifetime.