The Bachelor's Joey Graziadei is shining during his stint on Dancing With The Stars, but winning the dance competition could spell trouble for his relationship with Kelsey Anderson. 28-year-old Joey made his television debut as a contestant during Charity Lawson's season of The Bachelorette. He fell hard for Charity and made it to her final two. During the final rose ceremony, Charity chose Dotun Olubeko and sent Joey home. Joey was devastated by the break-up but got another opportunity to find true love on network television when he was cast as The Bachelor.
During the premiere of The Bachelor season 28, Joey greeted the 32 single women who'd be competing for his roses. When 25-year-old Kelsey stepped out of the limousine, Joey was immediately smitten with Kelsey's warm smile and her long mane of hair. She was a runaway favorite throughout the season, and there was little surprise when she won Joey's final rose. The two got engaged during the season finale, and they've been inseparable ever since. With Joey in a position to win Dancing With The Stars, here's why his victory could spell trouble for his relationship with Kelsey.
Joey Is Branching Out On His Own
Dancing With A New Partner
Soon after appearing on The Bachelor season 28, Joey joined the cast of Dancing With The Stars season 33. Joey and his dance partner, Jenna Johnson, haven't won yet, but they've made it far into the season and could win the whole thing. No prize money comes with winning Dancing With The Stars, as players compete for charity, but winning does come with privileges. Kelsey has been by his side the whole time, even moving to Los Angeles to be with him while he works on the show.
Joey has excelled on the show, making a name for himself as an individual, as opposed to being seen as part of a couple. Even though being part of Dancing With The Stars has been good for his career, it could have been hard for Kelsey to see him branch out without her. For her part, she's been striking out on her career trajectory as a model and lifestyle influencer. If Joey isn't careful, he and Kelsey will branch out in entirely different directions.
Kelsey Was Accused Of Jealousy
"Keep It Cute"
Since Joey became a contestant on Dancing With The Stars, fans have speculated Kelsey is jealous of watching Joey dance with another woman so passionately. It was even revealed Joey had asked producers to pair him with a dance partner who was in a committed relationship, which led to more questions about Kelsey's jealousy. In response to the suggestion, Kelsey recently posted an Instagram, insisting she's not jealous.
In the clip, The Bachelor season 28 co-star patiently explains that she is smart enough to understand that dancing involves another woman putting her hands on Joey because she's secure in their relationship.
Though Kelsey does sound very confident, there's always the chance she's overcompensating to cover her true feelings. Only time will tell, and it will depend on whether Joey wins Dancing With The Stars. Kelsey's post has 99.6K likes, and her caption reads, "Let’s keep it cute ladies and gents." Though Kelsey claims that she's not jealous of Joey's stint on Dancing With The Stars, she's only human, and it must be difficult to have her relationship under the spotlight all the time.
With Joey branching out on his own, Kelsey has been inspired to do the same.
Kelsey walked in a fashion show recently and posted footage of the glamorous event on Instagram. In the clip, she wore a stunning light lilac gown fit for a princess and walked the catwalk with her hair flowing about her shoulders. "September was a dream," read Kelsey's caption. "One of the highlights was definitely walking in the Sherri Hill fashion show." The post has 134.4K likes. With Joey dancing on Dancing With The Stars and Kelsey strutting her stuff on the runway, it may be a sign Joey and Kelsey are growing apart.
Joey & Kelsey Are Already In Therapy
Different Communication Styles
In March, just days after The Bachelor 28 season finale aired on ABC, Joey and Kelsey told Business Insider they were already in couples counseling. They explained they wanted to start counseling when they were in a good place instead of waiting until there was a conflict in the relationship. They said that counseling had helped them get to know each other. It made them understand they have different communication styles.
It's always admirable to seek professional help, but starting couples counseling this early in a relationship could be a sign of trouble.
Dating on a reality show is a curated experience in a highly produced and manufactured reality, which makes it hard to get to know someone. It would be nearly impossible to learn who someone is until the cameras stop rolling. The counseling could help Joey and Kelsey learn to effectively communicate with each other, but it's hard not to read it as a bad sign that early in the relationship.
Will Joey & Kelsey Ever Get Married?
A Year-Long Engagement
Joey and Kelsey got engaged in November 2023, which is when The Bachelor season 28 wrapped production. It's been almost a full year since Joey put a ring on Kelsey's finger, but they still haven't set a wedding date. The couple claims the delay is because they have a lot going on and don't want to add the pressure of planning a wedding to the mix.
Joey and Kelsey recently promised that they'd set a date within the next six months, with a wedding to follow within the next two years.
Part of the delay is also about location. Before becoming The Bachelor, Joey lived in Hawaii, while Kelsey lived in New Orleans, Louisiana. At this point, they don't seem to know where they'll live, even entertaining the possibility of moving to New York. When they first left The Bachelor season 28, they moved into Kelsey's place, which she shared with multiple women. These days, the couple temporarily resides in Los Angeles while Joey films Dancing With The Stars, but once it's over, they'll need to decide on their next step.
