By Jessica Wedemeyer
2:10pm PDT, Oct 10, 2021
Wonderwall.com is taking a look back at the stars who found love, suffered heartbreak or experienced some other major event in their love lives in early October 2021, starting with this country music couple… Tim McGraw took to Instagram on Oct. 6 to publicly celebrate his 25th wedding anniversary with wife Faith Hill. In the process, he revealed that he proposed multiple times before she finally said yes… "We had dated for a while. I actually asked her to marry me quite a few times, but she kept saying no. She said, 'I'm not gonna get involved with another country singer. It's just not gonna work out,'" he recalled, noting that his final attempt came when they were hanging out backstage in a trailer at a music festival. "I said, 'Look, let's get married,' and she says, 'You're asking me to marry you at a country music festival in a trailer house?' And I said, 'Well, it's pretty apropos if you think about it.' She goes, 'Are you serious?' And I said, 'Well, yeah, I'm serious.'" At that point, he was called on stage for his set. When he returned to the trailer, he saw that Faith had written "yes" in lipstick on a mirror. "In lipstick it said, 'Yes! I'm gonna be your wife,'" he recalled, adding that it was "the best day" of his life and that they "still have that mirror." He captioned the clip, "25 years later and it's still the best day of my life. Thanks for going on this journey with me. Love you, Faith." Faith, meanwhile, kept things simple, writing on Instagram, "Happy 25th Baby! I love you."
Now keep reading for more of the week's biggest celeb love life updates…
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On Oct. 6 — the same day the latest episode of "Impeachment: American Crime Story" depicted a 1997 date between Monica Lewinsky and CNN's Jake Tapper (watch a clip here) — the real-life duo confirmed on his show, "The Lead," that they did, in fact, go out together once. "Full disclosure: In tonight's episode, our G-rated date from December 1997 — our one date from 1997 — is portrayed. I should note: by an actor way better looking than me now or then," joked the newsman. Monica simply laughed and chimed in to confirm that they went on "one date." Jake first opened up about his date with Monica in a 1998 essay, noting that they met at a bar, exchanged numbers and later dined together at a Tex-Mex restaurant. Although the date went well, they never met up again because he accidentally threw away her phone number.
RELATED: Celeb weddings of 2021
Kelly Clarkson just scored a major win in her ongoing divorce from Brandon Blackstock: TMZ reported on Oct. 1 that a judge determined the "American Idol" alum is the sole owner of the $10.4 million Montana ranch Brandon has called home since they split — which he unsuccessfully argued was marital property that should be split equally between them. (Kelly, however, paid for the property with her own money and is the only party listed on the title.) According to the webloid, Kelly is hoping to give her ex the boot as soon as possible, but he's refusing to vacate the property. She hopes to eventually be rid of the ranch completely.
RELATED: The most expensive celebrity divorces
On the Oct. 4 episode of Howard Stern's SiriusXM radio show, Jake Gyllenhaal gushed of his long-term girlfriend, model and Columbia University student Jeanne Cadieu, "I love her so much. She's such a good person." He also opened up about their decision to make their official red carpet debut as a couple at the Sept. 29 New York Film Festival premiere of "The Lost Daughter" — his sister Maggie Gyllenhaal's feature film directorial debut. "My sister grabbed [Jeanne] and pulled her on that red carpet, which I think neither of us are really inclined to go on," he said, adding that ultimately, the night was all about "family." (In other words, Jeanne is basically part of his at this point.) During another point in the interview, he said that he's starting to think about settling down: "That's all I want is to be a good husband and a father. … That really is what I want," he said. "And now that I have fulfilled a lot of things in my career that I feel comfortable with, I can safely say that. I don't know if I could have said that before."
During an interview for the cover of the November 2021 issue of British Vogue, Adele opened up about what went wrong in her marriage to Simon Konecki, from whom she split in 2019. "It just wasn't right for me anymore. I didn't want to end up like a lot of other people I knew. It wasn't miserable miserable, but I would have been miserable had I not put myself first. But, yeah, nothing bad happened or anything like that," she said, adding that the breakup was especially tough on their son. "I voluntarily chose to dismantle his entire life in the pursuit of my own happiness. It made him really unhappy sometimes. And that's a real wound for me that I don't know if I'll ever be able to heal," she said. She also struggled with the increased media attention amid their split: "People were everywhere trying to get stories and I just hated it. I was embarrassed. I was really embarrassed. That thing of not being able to make something work. We've been trained as women to keep trying, even by the movies we watched when we were little. At the time it broke my heart, but I actually find it so interesting now. How we're told to suck it up," she said. Adele went on to say that after she and Simon called it quits, she dated other men before settling down with her new boyfriend, Rich Paul. "I did date before Rich, but they hated it. They'd find it stressful being out or seen with me…Whereas he's not frazzled by it at all. It feels like it's consistent and considerate enough that I don't care who knows. He's great. He's so f****** funny. He's so smart," she gushed. Another big bombshell from her Vogue interview? "The timeline the press have of my relationship, my marriage, is actually completely wrong," said the Grammy-winning chart-topper. "We got married when I was 30 [in 2018] … and then I left. I always called him my husband, because we had a kid together."
RELATED: Celeb splits of 2021
Us Weekly reported on Oct. 6 that Jana Kramer's headline-making fling with Kristin Cavallari's ex-husband, Jay Cutler, has come to an end. "Jana is still single. She and Jay went on a few dates, but things seemed to fizzle out between them. They're not seeing each other anymore," said a source. An E! News source, meanwhile, alleged that it was the former professional football player who "broke it off" with the "One Tree Hill" alum. According to the source, Jay only went out with Jana "to get under Kristin's skin." When his plan "didn't work," he threw in the towel. "They went out all over Nashville and Kristin didn't care. That's it," said the insider.
On Oct. 2, Steve Buscemi was snapped holding hands with a mystery woman during a smiley stroll in New York City. It's the first time the lauded actor has been seen with a possible love interest since his wife of more than three decades, filmmaker Jo Andres, died in early 2019 following a battle with cancer.
On Oct. 4, Sharna Burgess took to Instagram to clap back at claims that her relationship of nearly a year with Brian Austin Green isn't the real deal — but rather a construct to further their careers as they compete together on season 30 of "Dancing With the Stars." The professional ballroom dancer captioned a slideshow of photos with her beau, "This isn't a showmance, this is real life love and it's a part of our journey. Every step. Every struggle. Every success. And anyone that thinks it's an advantage [as part of the competition on the show] I can assure you, it's not. IT'S SUPER HARD! … Coaching your boyfriend is hard, and having your girlfriend be the one to tell you all the shit you're doing wrong is also hard. I am still trying to find balance between how much I love him and how much I love to create and coach for perfection on this show. What I do know is I'm grateful for every second I get on that dance floor with him. What a dream to share this. … I'm so proud of you @brianaustingreen, and I'm so grateful for you."
On Oct. 2, "The Cosby Show" alum Keshia Knight Pulliam took to Instagram to reveal that she married beau Brad James at their home in Atlanta in late September. "Last week my life forever changed… I married my best friend at our home surrounded by family & it was magical!!! It wasn't the large destination wedding we were originally planning. Instead, it was intimate, whimsical, full of love, laughter and joy… Absolutely perfect!! Maybe one day I will share the events that inspired our change of plans. However, for now I can say God makes no mistakes & the joy is in the journey. Covid has definitely taught us to live in the moment and that the present is the greatest 'present' that exists. Thank you to everyone who celebrated with us!! Most of all thank you to @mrbradjames my amazing husband, my person, my soulmate. Thank you for renewing my vulnerability & faith in unconditionally love," she captioned a slideshow of wedding photos. Brad, meanwhile, captioned his own slideshow of wedding photos, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step… I'm grateful to take mine with you.. my friend, my counselor, business partner, travel buddy, co-parent, trip advisor, lover, movie critic, negotiator, ride not die-er, designated driver (even tho I'm a better driver) chef, spiritual healer, and so much more… I love you eternally, and gift you with my tribe and family who will protect and support you and our family by any means necessary." The duo — who first sparked romance rumors in the summer of 2019 — got engaged in late 2020.
On Oct. 2, TMZ broke the news that Taryn Manning and Anne Cline quietly parted ways in late August — just two months after they got engaged following a courtship of just a few months. According to the webloid's sources, they initially attempted to work through their issues, but the actress ultimately realized she didn't want to be with the musician and only accepted her marriage proposal because Anne put her on the spot by popping the question during a gig. Taryn has reportedly moved on already: TMZ writes that she's "seeing someone new" — a man who works in production whom she met on set.
Season 7 of "Bachelor in Paradise" came to an end on Oct. 5 with three engagements… First up? Joe Amabile and Serena Pitt. After the finale aired, the couple took to Instagram to confirm they're still going strong. "And it's only the beginning," Serena captioned a slideshow of photos with Joe. The "Click Bait" podcast host, meanwhile, captioned his own slideshow of PDA-packed photos with Serena, "My Everything." During an Oct. 6 joint interview with Us Weekly, Joe noted that he and Serena are focused on figuring out where to live — not when to tie the knot. Said the bride-to-be, "We're going to do the move and then, you know, maybe in a year we'll start talking about wedding stuff." They plan to move in together in the spring, though they haven't decided yet if they'll call Toronto, Chicago or New York home. "We're definitely excited to take that step in the relationship," said Serena.
Riley Christian and Maurissa Gunn also got engaged on the finale of season 7 of "Bachelor in Paradise," which aired on Oct. 5. (In the process, they made history by becoming the first Black couple to get engaged on a Bachelor Nation show!) After the episode aired, they made it clear they're still an item by taking to Instagram to share the same sweet shot of themselves kissing. "I found my person," Maurissa wrote in the caption. She also took to her Instagram Story to share videos of herself watching the finale with Riley. During a joint Oct. 6 interview with Us Weekly, Maurissa said that she's planning to move from Atlanta to New York City to be with Riley. "I'm going to get myself out here and then wedding, baby!" she said.
And finally, Kenny Braasch and Mari Pepin got engaged on the finale of season 7 of "Bachelor in Paradise," which aired on Oct. 5. Like the other engaged couples, they took to Instagram to make it clear they're still going strong. They each shared a slideshow of photos of themselves celebrating their engagement with a bottle of champagne. Mari later told Us Weekly that they "haven't set a wedding date or anything yet." Instead, she's focusing on moving to Chicago, where Kenny lives, sometime "in the next few months." She also noted that they've agreed to tie the knot in her native Puerto Rico.
Meanwhile, two couples reconciled after breaking up on the finale of season 7 of "Bachelor in Paradise," which aired on Oct. 5. Becca Kufrin and Thomas Jacobs left the beach separately after the former star of "The Bachelorette" started to worry that Thomas was too good to be true. After the finale aired, however, Becca took to Instagram to reveal they're still together. "You know what they say… Third time's a charm," the reality star — who previously got engaged on "The Bachelor" and on "The Bachelorette" — captioned a montage video showing the highlights from her relationship with Thomas so far. "I'm sorry for breaking up with you on national television, but I'll take every day to make it up to you, Tommy. Thanks for making my heart smile far more than it ever has. Now time to start this real life." Thomas, meanwhile, captioned a slideshow of photos with Becca, "I feel safe with you. As if nothing could ever go terribly wrong … Thank you for being someone who I can put my trust in, someone who would never hurt me, someone who would never push 'us' away." They also took to their Instagram Stories to share videos of themselves packing on the PDA as the finale aired.
Abigail Heringer and Noah Erb also reconciled after parting ways on the finale of season 7 of "Bachelor in Paradise," which aired on Oct. 5. After the finale aired, they made it clear on social media that they're currently together. "I love you," Abigail captioned a PDA-packed video montage featuring highlights from her relationship with Noah so far. Noah, meanwhile, captioned a similar montage video, "I love you @abigail_heringer, here is to laughing through life until we are old. (World, meet my new [girlfriend], turns out we do know how to talk to each other and I think I'll keep her)." He also took to his Instagram Story to share a video of himself sweetly smooching his girlfriend, who found herself at the center of the drama surrounding another Bachelor Nation couple earlier in the week…
On Oct. 1 — not long after Clare Crawley implied on Instagram that Dale Moss cheated on her with Abigail Heringer — Us Weekly reported that, according to a source, the male mode "hooked up" with Abigail earlier this year while she was "under the impression that he and Clare weren't serious" anymore. The insider claims Clare found out about the tryst at the same time as everyone else: when people started buzzing about it on the Internet. A second source, however, insisted that Dale and Abigail "never kissed or had sex." Claimed the second insider, "They met once at flag football in New York City that a bunch of Bachelor people attended. Everyone went to a bar after, they did not sleep together. He's never cheated on Clare. … Dale is friends with Abigail." On Oct. 4, Dale released a statement (via his rep) to People magazine addressing his breakup from Clare … but without mentioning the allegations about his relationship with Abigail. "Dale and Clare broke up in mid-September when Clare was in New York City spending time with him," the statement read. "Clare then chose to fly home to Sacramento [in California] and asked Dale to send her things. A couple of weeks later, Clare's mother's condition worsened, and Dale chose to immediately fly out to Sacramento to be with her. …Dale flew to Sacramento last Tuesday morning to be with Clare, her mother and their family. On Wednesday, Dale flew to Los Angeles for a work obligation and had every intention to travel back to Sacramento to be with her but his number was blocked, which made it impossible to communicate with Clare. It is unfortunate that the next time Dale heard anything from Clare it was on social media." He concluded by saying he "wishes Clare nothing but the best" and is "keeping her and her family in his thoughts and prayers." (Clare's mother, who has dementia and Alzheimer's, was recently placed in hospice care.)
In other Bachelor Nation breakup news… E! News reported on Sept. 30 that, according to a source, Brendan Morais and Pieper James — who caused drama on season 7 of "Bachelor in Paradise" when it became clear they'd started seeing each other before appearing on the show — "decided to split and focus on themselves." Said the source, "The backlash from the show was too hard on both of them. … Pieper thinks it's best for her to spend time reevaluating her life. … She thinks this is a good life lesson but wants to move on." Echoed an Us Weekly source, "Things went downhill once 'Paradise' started airing. … They tried to make it work but ended up deciding it was best to break up." The duo, who reportedly split in September, left "Paradise" early to pursue their relationship away from the cameras. They've both insisted that they were not in a committed relationship before they hit the beach.
But wait! Another duo who left "Bachelor in Paradise" early — Chris Conran and Alana Milne — revealed on their Instagram Stories on Oct. 5 after the season 7 finale aired that they're also now a couple. "Paradise is wherever I'm with you," the brunette beauty wrote alongside a sweet shot of herself kissing her beau. Chris reposted the snap, adding the caption, "3 months of no cameras or producers." The duo made waves on "Paradise" when their co-stars accused them of having a pre-existing relationship before appearing on the show, which they both denied.
In other Bachelor Nation love news… Arie Luyendyk Jr. took to Instagram on Oct. 4 to reveal that he proposed to Lauren Burnham… more than three years after they got engaged on the finale of season 22 of "The Bachelor" and more than two years after they tied the knot. "You deserve it all, love this life with you!" he captioned a slideshow of photos depicting the proposal. Lauren, meanwhile, captioned her own slideshow of photos including a close-up of her new ring, "We're ENGAGED! Again. This time, just for us." Arie later explained in a YouTube video that he wanted to pop the question with his own ring because ABC paid for Lauren's first ring when he proposed on the show. "We never really felt like it was something I chose for her," he said.
On Oct. 4 — after months of rumors about the nature of their relationship — Page Six reported that, according to a source, "Summer House" star Paige DeSorbo and "Southern Charm" star Craig Conover are finally "telling close friends they are officially together." Said the source, "Their friendship has grown into more as they've spent more time together."
On Sept. 30, TMZ published video of Madelyn Cline dancing with Ross Butler at a restaurant in Milan, Italy, during Milan Fashion Week. Four days earlier, the "13 Reasons Why" actor took to Instagram to share a slideshow of photos of himself at Milan Fashion Week including a shot with the young actress. "Fash n' friends/fashion friends," he wrote in the caption … which did little to dispel questions about the nature of their relationship. On the contrary, the multiple hangouts fueled rumors that he's helping her move on from her relationship with Chase Stokes. The "Outer Banks" co-stars — who confirmed they were more than friends in mid-2020 — haven't been seen together since mid-September, prompting fans to speculate that they're no longer a couple.
On Oct. 4, Morgan Willett took to her Instagram Story to reveal that she and "The Challenge" co-star Johnny "Bananas" Devenanzio recently called it quits because he was unfaithful. "This past week has been difficult," she wrote. "The person I truly loved more than anything else cheated on me and I found out and I had to leave. I don't know what else to say but I physically hurt. … I don't know when I'll stop hurting? When will I stop missing someone? What if I never stop replaying things in my head? When do I become angry?? I don't want to live my life angry." A People magazine source said that Morgan "is having a really rough time" in the wake of the breakup. "She loved Johnny and trusted him," said the source. "She is heartbroken that he could do something like this to her after all the time they've spent together."
During an Oct. 2 interview with People magazine, Jordana Brewster said that it was "just a given" that she and her new fiancé, Mason Morfit, would eventually get engaged. "There was no second guessing," she said. The "Fast & Furious" franchise star also opened up about wedding planning: "It feels really exciting. I'm starting to plan and I'm going to take it really slowly and I'm going to really savor each step," she said. "I'm actually going to have an engagement party and I have a Pinterest for the dress and I'm doing all the girly girly stuff I never did [the first time around]. So I'm really excited." (Jordana split from her first husband, Andrew Form, in early 2020.)
Sophia Bush and her new fiancé, Grant Hughes, made their official debut as a couple at the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in Los Angeles on Oct. 2. (It's the first time they've been photographed together publicly in an official capacity!)
On Oct. 6, Page Six broke the news that Geena Davis and her fourth husband, Dr. Reza Jarrahy, have finally settled their extremely contentious divorce more than three years after he first filed to legally end their marriage … which she has argued was never legally binding. The terms of their settlement are confidential, but according to a source, the court was "very unfavorable to Reza, who agreed to settle just to put this behind him and be free of the nightmare Geena has caused for him." Said the Reza-friendly insider, "Reza has had enough of her narcissism, so he was willing to take a bad deal just to make her go away and refocus on [their three] kids. This has been devastating for Reza. … Geena's priorities since day one have been to preserve her lifestyle and wealth above anything else." The source alleged that the former couple have spent more than $1.5 million in legal fees. "All money that could have and should have stayed in the family for their kids' futures," said the insider. "The legal fees drove Reza to the brink of bankruptcy. For months on end he had to sleep on friends' couches, in their spare rooms, and even in his car at times in order to keep up with payments to his lawyer. He couldn't have his kids with him while living like that, and it broke his heart. … Meanwhile Geena continued to live in their [Los Angeles] mansion with the kids, oblivious to the pain she was causing her family. Her lifestyle didn't change a bit. … Geena showed time and time again that behind her wealth and lifestyle, her next most important priority has been her public image."
In other divorce news… Us Weekly reported on Oct. 6 that, according to court documents, Lindsie Chrisley settled her divorce from Will Campbell on Sept. 8. They reportedly agreed to share joint custody of their son, Jackson. They've also reached an agreement regarding child support, though there will be no alimony payments from one to the other. The former couple previously divided their assets, with the former reality star holding onto a Lexus while her ex is walking away from the marriage with a Ford F1-50 truck.
On Oct. 4, People magazine reported that on the new Apple Fitness+ Time to Walk experience, Reba McEntire opens up about taking control of her life following her 2015 divorce from her husband of 26 years, Narvel Blackstock. "Things started going south with my marriage. Narvel Blackstock, my manager and husband at the time — we got a divorce, and the shocker of it all was, there were four people who were taking care of all my business," she says. "I had my production manager who left, I had my CEO who left, my manager and husband, and my father had died [the previous year]. So four men who were rock and pillars of my world were gone. … I started taking over signing the checks and then I started realizing how much water cost, and the electric bill, and all the things that [were] going on in my life. I made the money, I brought it home. So it was a huge, huge change for me." She also says that she depended on God to guide her during that difficult period in her life. "Without my faith, I have no idea where I would be or my career would be, at this time today," she admits.
The Libertines' Pete Doherty married P*** Madres bandmate Katia de Vidas at a church in Normandy, France, on Sept. 30. According to The Sun, which published exclusive wedding photos, the couple of nearly a decade got engaged just days before they tied the knot.
People magazine exclusively reported on Sept. 29 that country music star Alexandra Kay married her love of nearly a decade, Indiana Touchette, at A Pocket Full of Sunshine in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, on Sept. 25. "I have never met anyone like Indiana before. He is truly something special," gushed the bride. "When my music career started to take off and we had to spend so much time apart, it was a true test of our relationship. … In these times I realize how loyal, trusting and dedicated Indiana is to our relationship and I knew he was the one. … We have been together for nine years already and have been through so many incredible and challenging times. Marriage is a celebration of making it through it all and we can't wait to see what the next 50 years will bring!"
On Oct. 3, Tania Maduro took to Instagram to announce that she and "90 Day Fiancé" co-star Syngin Colchester have gone their separate ways after four years of coupledom. "Some rumors are true — #SingleLife New Season was announced and yes I am single, @syngin_colchester is single – we're all single!! Now don't go all at once to his DMs ladies or he'll never be able to sort them all out," she captioned a video of herself posing during a photo shoot. Syngin, meanwhile, captioned a trailer for the new show, "Single life. I am SINGLE now and nothing has been easy about this, so much drama happened, soooo many tears, sadness and real talks happened as well."
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