Kathie Lee Gifford and Boyfriend Richard Spitz May Have Broken Up

It looks like Kathie Lee Gifford may be ready to embrace a new chapter in her life: the single life. The former Today co-host, who left the show in April 2019, returned on Feb. 12, 2024, and was "nominated" by Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager as the "perfect" candidate for The Golden Bachelorette. However, before making an appearance on Today, fans were under the impression that Kathie and her boyfriend Richard Spitz were still going strong.

Given the fact that Kathie's friend of almost 20 years, per PageSix, suggested that her friend be the lead in the upcoming reality dating game show, fans are now wondering if Kathie is still dating Richard. Here's what we know about that relationship and the singer's dating history.

It was back in 2021 that Kathie first shared with her former cohosts that she was happily in a relationship, but she didn't say who exactly she was dating. "I’m in a really special relationship with somebody that is nice and fun and healthy, and so that’s good," she told the show hosts, who immediately pressed her for more information.

"It’s just happy, and I don’t want to mess it up, and I probably already have by just even mentioning it," Kathie Lee said. "To be in a place where you feel like every aspect of your life is good, that nothing’s missing, and that’s a beautiful place to be. I’m just so grateful."

"I’ve just found somebody that is so much fun to be with," she added. "He is challenging to me. He’s the smartest person I’ve ever met, but he’s funny." It was later revealed that Kathie was dating Richard Spitz, although it isn't clear if the two are still together.

Richard is a businessman who apparently lives in the same gated community as Kathie, per OK!. While the two dated for over two years, Kathie's February 2024 visit to The Today Show has plenty wondering why Hoda and Jenna suggested Kathie be featured on The Golden Bachelorette. The obvious reason is that Kathie and Richard split, although we'll wait for "The God Who Sees" singer to clear the air.

Before sparking a relationship with Richard, the TV host and actor mentioned in mid-2020 that she had been out on a few dates with a guy who approached her at an event. That handsome guy was an insurance agent named Randy Cronk, whom she had been spotted with since August of that year. Although they had a lot of fun, their romance was short-lived compared to her other romantic relationships.

Kathie explained, "I went out with friends to a club to hear my favorite band down there. I went to hear them, and this sweet guy asked me to dance, and so I said, ‘OK.’ And then he just disappeared into the crowd. And then, you know, a couple weeks later, same band, so we danced again. And then we just went out a couple times. It was fun because I hadn’t been on a date in 33 years."

Since Kathie hadn't dated a guy in so long, it all felt new to her. She continued, "You know, it’s surreal. 'Cause the world’s changed so much, you know. But he’s a gentleman, so it was fine. It was fun. But then I got so busy. We’re just from different worlds."

Many fans aren't aware that Kathie was married twice in the past. At first, she wed a Christian composer named Paul Johnson, and although they appeared to be the perfect couple, their marriage was a very rocky one. After five years together, Paul moved out of their home and by 1982, they got divorced.

Four years later, she got married to American football player and sports commentator Frank Gifford. It was Kathie's second marriage and Frank's third. The couple had two children together (Cody Newton Gifford and Cassidy Erin Gifford) and their marriage lasted until Frank's unfortunate death in 2015. The former athlete, who was 23 years Kathie's senior, died from natural causes a week before his 85th birthday.

Understandably, Kathie didn't jump at the opportunity to date again after Frank's passing. When asked about how she coped with the loss, she explained the importance of her faith. 

She said, "I’ve gotten through this past year the way I've gotten through every day of my life: faithfully trusting God to do what God does, which is to show up, redeem, and restore. God doesn't promise you a year. He promises you a day at a time. The next day, you reach for your fresh cup of mercy that you need every bit as much as the day before."

It wasn't until May 2019 when Kathie revealed that she was ready to enter the dating scene again. Although she and Frank had what she described as a "great love," she's still hopeful that she'll find that kind of love again. 

She said, “I had a friend of mine who asked me a couple of years ago after Frank passed, he said, ‘Sorry, I guess Frank was the love of your life, right?’ … And I said ‘so far.’ I was kind of surprised by my answer because it was like optimistic, so far.” So, as excited as she is to spice up her love life these days, she maintains that there are many other factors that come into play in making such a decision.

She explained, "I’m not interested in something that isn’t magnificent... Do I need a man in my life? Well, I’ve got [my son] Cody. I’ve got a man in my life. I’ve got great male friends. Do I need companionship? Yes, I do, and that’s one of the main reasons I moved to Nashville. Not that I’m looking for a man. What I’m looking for is an active, vibrant life."