Like many Bachelor Nation couples before them, Gabby Windey cites “compatibility” as the reason behind her split from Erich Schwer.
“I do truly think it was compatibility. Dancing [With the Stars] does take up a lot of your time, but I feel like our time together was never really limited. We would still see each other afterward,” the 31-year-old ABC personality exclusively told Us Weekly when asked whether her whirlwind schedule played a role in the breakup. “Luckily, we were able to live in the same place, so, I think, truly, it was just getting to know the relationship in-person because we were long-distance and before that kind of in a bubble [while The Bachelorette was airing]. Sometimes you don’t always know the questions to ask or it’s up to the other person to really know themselves and bring forth their truth. So I think it was a lot of getting to know each other in real life.”
Windey, who is promoting the upcoming Dancing With the Stars Live 2023 Tour, confirmed her split from Schwer during the November 14 episode of DWTS, two months after their proposal aired.
“I think he is a really good guy. I think we’re just not each other’s people, unfortunately,” she continued. “I don’t wanna sound dismissive at all cuz, you know, leaving the show you really do want, hope and think that this is The One for you. I’m so ready to find my forever person, but I know now that it’s gonna come with time and I want it to be the right person, not just a person.”
While her engagement may have ended, Windey continued her DWTS journey and competed in the finale. She ultimately lost the mirrorball to Charli D’Amelio.
“Obviously, I wanted to win. I think everybody wants to win and Val [Chmerkovskiy] and I worked so hard,” she admitted. “Charli and Mark [Ballas] are incredible. They deserve it. Duh, I mean, she’s an amazing dancer and they performed so many great pieces and numbers. Even as her competition and a spectator, I love to watch her dance, so, you know, I was disappointed just because you want that for yourself, but honestly, like, I had a moment and then took a beat and I really feel like I did come out on top because of the experience itself. I maxed out on the number of weeks I was on it and I just came out with such a rewarding time in memory.”
She joked, “So looking back on it, I honestly feel like a true winner even though I’m a loser.”
Now, Windey will cohost the Dancing With the Stars tour with Emma Slater.
“I’m excited to share the stage with Emma. This, I think, is her 10th tour. Well, I’m excited to the stage with everybody, but Emma will be the cohost and [I’ll] learn from her and just hopefully help the audience have a little bit of fun,” she told Us, adding that she said “hell yeah” when the series asked her to take on the new role. “I’m just a little bit of an eager beaver. But I had so much fun dancing and a tour is a whole new experience that I’ll probably never get a chance to do again in my life. So I wanna be able to take advantage of it to keep dancing. I really fell in love with ballroom and to try out a new position as a host.”
Tickets for the Dancing With the Stars tour — which will feature Daniel Durant, Charli and mom Heidi D’Amelio and Vinny Guadagnino on select dates — are available now. For more from Windey, watch the video above!
