Kathie Lee Gifford Is Ready to Marry Boyfriend despite His 'Disinterest in the Relationship,' Reports Claim

• Kathie Lee Gifford had a boyfriend who didn't want to make their relationship public after her husband died.
• Gifford's friends are displeased by her choice of boyfriend, but she is ready to marry him nonetheless.
• Gifford and her boyfriend broke up after news of their relationship became public, but they later reconciled.

Kathie Lee Gifford is best known for her role as a TV host on "Today," however she has dabbled in many other things, like acting and singing. She and her husband were also famously married for decades before his death.

Now, Gifford has mended the broken heart the death of her husband left her with and has moved on to a new man. Their relationship was kept secret for quite some time, and when it finally got out, Gifford's new boyfriend could not handle it.

Gifford and her boyfriend, Richard Spitz, began their relationship after Gifford felt ready to move on from her husband's death. Spitz requested that they keep their relationship private, but news of the couple's romance eventually made headlines.

When this happened, the couple reportedly had a significant fight that led to them taking a break from their two-year relationship. However, it wasn't long before they had put their differences aside and reconciled.

Yet Gifford's friends were upset by this as they believed that she could do so much better than someone who seemed "disinterested in the relationship." However, sources close to Gifford say she is ready to tie the knot with Spitz.

Who Is Gifford's Boyfriend?

Spitz, who obtained his master's degree from NYU School of Law, is a managing director and founder of Strong Force Innovation Portfolios. He is a competent businessman with years of experience in his field.

In February this year, publications reported that Gifford and Spitz had been together for the past few months and had been spotted out together in Nashville. However, before then, nobody knew who Gifford's boyfriend was as she said she wanted it to remain special by keeping it private.

An insider said Gifford was smitten with her beau and didn't go anywhere without him. The insider also mentioned that they were surprised the couple had managed to keep their relationship under wraps for so long.

Since the news of their relationship broke, the couple has often been seen out together. Most recently, they were seen leaving a workout class together. An eyewitness said:

"They seemed to be enjoying each other's company during their workout together this weekend. They were joking around during their personal training sessions."

Gifford and Spitz live in the same gated community, but each has their own home. They were seen leaving their workout class and returning to their homes on this day after being seen by many fans.

Friends said that while Spitz was bitterly disappointed that their relationship had become public, Gifford was secretly thrilled that she could finally talk about Spitz publicly and let people know about their romance.

The insider said Spitz never wanted their photo taken and was furious that his relationship was "out there." Now friends are worried that Spitz is unsuitable for Gifford because their relationship has not progressed over the past two years.

Friends confirmed that Gifford wants nothing more than for their relationship to progress and for them to get married. Yet her friends believe she can find someone who loves and cherishes her much more than Spitz does.

When talking about her beau months ago, Gifford said she had an excellent partner who was the most intelligent man she had ever met and so funny. However, she did not reveal any other details as she said it made it more special when things were under wraps.

Gifford's relationship with Spitz came after her famously enduring marriage to former NFL star Frank Gifford. Frank Gifford died in August 2015 of what seemed to be natural causes. He was 84 years old when he passed.

During his life, Frank suffered symptoms that pointed to Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)—repetitive head injuries causing this degenerative brain disease. While the family thought Frank died of natural causes, an autopsy suggested CTE may have played a role in his passing.

After his death, Gifford and her family donated Frank's brain to science in the hopes that medical professionals would be able to find better treatments for other people suffering from CTE.

How Many Times Has Gifford Been Married?

While her marriage to Frank was her longest-lasting, it was not the only marriage that Gifford had during her life. In fact, she was married once before to Paul Johnson for seven years, from 1976 to 1983.

However, three years after her divorce from Johnson, when Gifford saw Frank for the first time, she knew he would be her happily ever after. The pair met on the set of a morning news show.

Gifford admitted to being smitten with Frank the minute she saw him. Talking about that moment, Gifford once gushed:

"I met Frank Gifford because it was 4 o'clock in the morning at 'Good Morning America,' walking down one of the hallways, and I looked over at somebody in the dressing room — the best set of buns I've ever seen in my life — just leaned over a sink putting in contact lenses."

Unfortunately for Gifford, Frank was married at the time, but that didn't stop him from trying to set her up with his good friend. That relationship didn't work out, and neither did Frank's marriage, leading the couple to begin their love story.

By October 1986, Gifford and Frank had tied the knot in a beach ceremony. The couple, who shared the same birthday, felt they grew in love rather than falling in love. They had a 23-year age difference, but it never bothered them.

The couple welcomed two children, Cody and Cassidy, but also suffered a heartbreaking miscarriage together. Gifford spoke openly about her pregnancy troubles and said her husband was supportive.

Gifford also became the stepmother to Frank's children, Victoria, Jeff, and Kyle, from their previous relationship. While their relationship seemed perfect, it was rocked by Frank's infidelity in 1997. However, the couple ironed out their differences and spent many happy years together.

Frank often talked about how much he loved and respected his wife and how proud he was of her. He mentioned that she was genuine and honest and that he loved her very much—a touching love story to the end.

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