Gabby Windey, winner of The Traitors and Bachelorette alum, is hosting Hulu’s wild new dating show Love Overboard—here’s why it’s a perfect fit…
When it comes to reality TV arcs, few glow-ups feel as earned—or as queer—as Gabby Windey’s.
The former Bachelor and Bachelorette star turned fan-favourite villain-slayer on Season 3 of The Traitors is officially trading roses and murder mysteries for champagne and sunburns. Hulu announced this week that Windey will be hosting Love Overboard, a new dating competition set aboard a yacht full of “sexy singles” and emotional booby traps. Think Below Deck meets Too Hot to Handle, with a splash of Survivor scheming and a host who knows what it’s like to fall in love (or implode) on national television.
But this isn’t just a fun casting decision. It’s a quietly radical move—and a full-circle moment for a woman who’s lived every angle of the reality romance machine.
Gabby Windey’s reality resume is wildly underrated
Gabby Windey first appeared on Season 26 of The Bachelor, where she made it to the final three and became a breakout fan favourite. She went on to co-lead Season 19 of The Bachelorette, a franchise first, alongside Rachel Recchia. That season was chaotic at best, but Gabby brought signature charm, emotional intelligence, and a kind of goofball weirdness that made her instantly relatable.
Then in 2023, Windey came out publicly as queer during an appearance on The View, revealing her relationship with comedian Robby Hoffman. It was a move that broke new ground for Bachelor Nation alumni, who’ve historically had to navigate heteronormative expectations long after filming ends.
“I always just want to live my truth, and now I finally feel safe enough to do that,” she told fans on social media.
Most recently, she competed—and won—on The Traitors Season 3, alongside Dylan Efron, Dolores Catania, and Lord Ivar Mountbatten (yes, really). It was in that Scottish castle full of backstabbers and mind games that Gabby showed her strategic side, proving she’s more than just bubbly confessionals and Bachelor Nation baggage.
Love Overboard is more than just another dating show
So, what’s Love Overboard about? According to Hulu’s teaser, the show drops a group of hot singles onto a luxury yacht where they’ll compete for love, perks, and survival. Access to spa services and other yacht luxuries isn’t free—you’ve got to earn it through challenges. Alliances will form, hearts will break, and only one couple will be crowned at sea.
Produced by Alex Cooper (Call Her Daddy) under her Unwell banner, the series promises to flip the conventional dating format on its head. And with Gabby at the helm—both literally and figuratively—it feels like a fresh take for a genre that’s long leaned into straight clichés and tired tropes.
Why Gabby Windey is the perfect host for this moment
Gabby has seen it all: romantic rejection, public scrutiny, on-camera pressure, and the kind of fame that blurs the line between persona and person. But instead of being chewed up by the machine, she’s evolved with it. Her queerness isn’t a footnote—it’s central to why this show feels so needed right now.
A queer host fronting a chaotic, sensual, and emotionally messy dating show? That’s a major shift in a landscape still dominated by rigid binaries. And Gabby’s own journey from straight-coded Bachelorette to openly queer icon makes her uniquely suited to guide contestants through the highs and humiliations of televised love.
Plus, let’s be honest—she’s funny. Her podcast Long Winded regularly goes viral for its blend of chaotic storytelling, self-aware comedy, and sharp cultural commentary. Gabby doesn’t take herself too seriously, which is exactly the energy you need to keep a yacht full of horny narcissists grounded.
From roses to redemption: Gabby’s post-Bachelor queer era
The fact that Gabby came out after The Bachelorette adds an extra layer to this new hosting role. For years, she played the role the franchise needed her to—one half of a heterosexual love story, even when the story wasn’t quite hers. Now, she gets to call the shots.
It’s poetic justice. After surviving the cringiest moments of Bachelor Nation (Clayton’s season finale, anyone?) and the emotional labour of being the “understanding” Bachelorette, Gabby finally gets to be the one in control. She’s not vying for attention—she’s steering the damn ship.
In a dating TV landscape where queerness is still often tokenized or compartmentalized (The Ultimatum: Queer Love notwithstanding), this feels like a necessary disruption. Gabby isn’t hosting a “gay show.” She’s a queer host navigating the complexities of modern dating, period.
When and where to watch Love Overboard
While Hulu hasn’t dropped an official release date yet, production is underway. Gabby recently shared behind-the-scenes glimpses on Instagram from the set, writing, “I told you I was working!!!! ur newest host hehe.”
If all goes to schedule, Love Overboard will premiere in 2026 and stream exclusively on Hulu. And in Canada, we’re hoping for a Hayu pickup—because let’s be real, we deserve this too.
A win for messy, queer, joyful TV
Love Overboard might be wrapped in bikinis and blurred-out champagne flutes, but the casting of Gabby Windey is what makes it worth watching. This isn’t just another reality show host gig—it’s a subtle reclamation of a space that hasn’t always made room for women like her.
Gabby isn’t performing for the male gaze. She isn’t hiding any part of herself. She’s here, she’s queer, and she’s got a megaphone. Whether she’s refereeing boat-bound makeout sessions or dropping one-liners from the captain’s chair, one thing is certain:
This is Gabby’s era—and we’re all just sailing in it.
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