Emmerdale’s Gabby Thomas actress’ love life and boyfriend who ‘likes to stay anonymous’
Rosie Bentham has played Emmerdale's Gabby Thomas since 2016 - but what do we know about the actress's real-life love life and her 'secret' boyfriend?
Emmerdale’s Gabby Thomas has endured no shortage of heartache on the beloved soap — but what do we actually know about actress Rosie Bentham’s romantic life away from the cameras?
Rosie Bentham first joined the cast back in 2016, taking on the role of Gabby Thomas. During her time in the Dales, it’s fair to say Gabby has had a thoroughly turbulent love life.
On top of being a single mother, last year she was all set to wed Vinny Dingle (played by Bradley Johnson), who was secretly battling with his sexuality. The truth eventually surfaced, leaving Gabby single once more.
Now, with Vinny embarking on a relationship with Lewis Barton (Bradley Riches), Gabby has set her sights on his older brother, Ross Barton (Michael Parr).
Away from the soap, actress Rosie has kept her real-life love life firmly under wraps. However, she has let slip a few details — including who she’s currently dating…, reports the Mirror.
Rosie has played Gabby for several years (Image: Getty Images)
Rosie on her biggest ‘red flags’ when dating
Back in January 2023, Rosie opened up about her biggest “red flags”, admitting she can tell almost immediately whether a potential suitor is genuinely interested in her or simply her on-screen character.
Speaking to The Mirror, Rosie revealed that during conversations with fans, certain tell-tale signs quickly give the game away.
Rosie explained: “The biggest red flag is when someone says to me, ‘So, tell me what’s going to happen next’. It’s obvious at that point they’re not interested in me, they’re just trying to get spoilers out of me.
“It’s nice if someone says, ‘Oh, my gran watches it’ – but I don’t think many 21-year-old boys are genuinely interested in watching soaps.”
She’s been open about her love life (Image: ITV)
Rosie’s ‘never dated anyone in public eye’
Several months on, Rosie confirmed she was seeing somebody, revealing that she prefers dating “real blokes” rather than fellow celebrities. Speaking to The Sun, she said: “I would say that I’m getting to know someone at the moment, but I’m very private when it comes to my love life.”
The soap actress also noted that relationships can turn sour “quickly” at her age, adding that they were taking things “slow”. She went on to explain that she believes it is vital to keep her guard up, as she claims you can never truly know what a person’s “true” intentions are.
With that in mind, she said: “I’ve always been quite cautious when it comes to love and have never dated anyone in the public eye. The guy I’m getting to know is just a normal guy.”
Last year she confirmed her secret boyfriend (Image: ITV)
Rosie reveals secret boyfriend with normal job
Come September 2025, Rosie lifted the lid on the boyfriend she had kept “secret” for three years, gushing about how “happy” she is. Opening up to The Sun, Rosie revealed: “We were introduced by a mutual friend and he knew what I did for a job but hadn’t seen the programme! His mum and grandparents watch Emmerdale, though.
“I am happy, and I am glad my life is a lot more peaceful than Gabby’s! We’ve been together for nearly three years. He is a quantity surveyor and lives in Yorkshire. We are both really into our health and fitness.”
Rosie went on to admit that her boyfriend prefers to keep a low profile, and has chosen not to be named publicly. She added: “He has never been one for all of that (fame). He likes to stay anonymous, and I respect that.
“But he came with me to the Soap Awards, and he loved it. I like going to events with him as it’s fun for an outsider to have a glimpse of the TV world we work in, but at home and when we are together, we don’t really speak about Emmerdale that much. But he does find it funny when people come up and call me Gabby!”
Emmerdale airs Monday to Friday at 8:00pm on ITV1 and ITVX
