Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s BF Ken Urker says he ended their relationship after listening to Dr Phil’s podcast

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA: Ken Urker and Gypsy Rose Blanchard opened up in an interview about their relationship struggles, including a temporary split, ahead of the release of 'Gypsy Rose: Life After Lockup' Season 2.

Urker explained that outside influences, particularly Dr Phil McGraw, played a significant role in their decision to part ways.

Urker first connected with Gypsy Rose, a victim of Munchausen by proxy, while she was still in prison for the murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard.

Ken Urker discusses influence of outside opinions on his decision to separate from Gypsy Rose Blanchard

“Well, I think one of the biggest things was outside opinion and influence,” Ken Urker said during his interview with People.

He added, “I had listened to a podcast from Dr Phil, and I had a lot of people in my ear just telling me that the best thing I can do for her is to give her some time to build a self-identity that she's never been able to build before, and even while she's in prison.”

Urker reflected on how Dr Phil’s podcast, which mentioned Gypsy Rose and included Urker’s name, deeply impacted his thinking.

“And I felt that, at the time, all those opinions — especially Dr Phil’s — I felt like that was the right choice to make at the time for both of us,” he explained. “So we went off in separate directions, but fate allowed us to meet back up again.”

The podcast, although not directly focused on their relationship, seemed to have a profound effect on Urker's decision. He added that Dr Phil  "was one of the biggest outside, I guess, opinions that shaped the way of our relationship at the time."

Their time apart included Gypsy Rose's marriage and subsequent separation from estranged husband Ryan Anderson after her release from prison in December 2023.

Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Ken Urker reconnect to start family

Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Ken Urker reunited after her split from Ryan Anderson, eventually rekindling their relationship and having a daughter together.

Recalling their reunion, Urker shared, "The very first weekend of April [2024] is when I came to visit her for the first time after she had gotten out. We spent that weekend together and had an incredible time."

He noted that things progressed quickly after that, and the couple attended a jazz festival before realizing they were expecting a child. "Then shortly after that, we realized we were going to have a baby,” Urker recalled. “So then I moved down here.”

Urker expressed that his worries about Gypsy Rose needing time to build a self-identity have since disappeared. He mentioned that it has been amazing to witness how she has "blossomed into an incredible person" since her release from prison.

"I couldn't be more proud to have her as the mother of our child and as a partner in life. And I think that even after all the things that she's gone through, that was one of the things that I loved about her from the beginning,” Urker said. “I couldn't be happier to have her at my side in this life.”

'Gypsy Rose: Life After Lock Up' Season 2 premieres on Monday, March 10, at 9 pm ET on Lifetime.