Alison Victoria, the star of HGTV’s “Windy City Rehab,” has recently gone public with her new romance with filmmaker Brandt Andersen. The couple made their relationship Instagram official on June 12, 2024, and since then, they’ve been sharing more about their love story.
Victoria, 42, expressed her joy about the relationship in an interview with Us Weekly on June 15. “We did not think it was that big of a deal. But to me, I just love him,” she said. “He is the most amazing human I’ve ever met. I love that everybody already knew how amazing he was. And now I could just be so proud to be next to him.” She added that the strong connection she felt with Andersen, 46, was unexpected but welcomed, noting that “surprises are good.”
Andersen, a producer, director, and writer, also shared his perspective on their relationship. He revealed that they were friends first before realizing there was a romantic element. “I have no friends who I laugh with like I did with her. It just became something more because we just love being with each other,” he said.
The couple’s first public appearance was at the Daytime Emmys on June 7, where they walked the red carpet together. Victoria posted photos from the event on Instagram, showing the couple embracing and sharing a passionate kiss. In the photos, Victoria wore a stunning black dress with intricate beading and cutouts, while Andersen opted for a cream-colored suit jacket and black slacks.
Before meeting Andersen, Victoria was married to insurance agency owner Luke Harding. The couple bought a house together in Chicago before splitting. Victoria was also in a long-term relationship with Michael Marks, the managing director at Cushman and Wakefield Real Estate.
Andersen, who has been in the film industry since 2011, is known for his work as a producer on the 2015 film “Everest” and the 2020 short film “Refugee.” He recently made his directorial debut with “The Strangers’ Case,” which appeared at the Berlinale Film Festival earlier this year.
Victoria and Andersen attended the 6th Annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards together, where they shared more about their relationship. Andersen admitted that he had never watched “Windy City Rehab” before meeting Victoria but quickly became a fan. “As soon as we met, I binge-watched [her show] like crazy,” he said. “Now, I’m like an expert on her show. She’s amazing.”
The couple enjoys spending time together doing simple activities like cooking, dancing, and laughing. “We love cooking and dancing and laughing. It’s all about the simple things,” Victoria said. Andersen added, “She’s just very honest. We have a very honest relationship where we just laugh and we laugh and we just have a great time all the time. No matter what’s going on in our lives, we kind of laugh our way through. We dance.”
Victoria, who has been flipping houses in Chicago since 2019 on “Windy City Rehab,” has no immediate plans to feature her relationship with Andersen on her show. However, she hasn’t ruled out the possibility entirely. “Oh, God. I mean, never say never,” she joked. “We’ll see. You never know.”
Victoria’s new relationship has been a welcome surprise for many of her fans, who are aware of the challenges she has faced in her love life. In 2020, she revealed that she had to borrow $400,000 from friends to complete a home renovation project after she and her former business partner, Donovan Eckhardt, were sued by clients for alleged fraud and shoddy construction.
Despite these struggles, Victoria has persevered and continues to find success in her career. “To be here in this city that I grew up in, in a home that I never thought I would have, and not [be] scared anymore, that’s really a special place for me to be,” she said. “I know everything happens for a reason and I just feel lighter, brighter, happier. … How lucky am I?… I’m gonna pinch myself every day that I live here. Trust me.”
Victoria’s fans are thrilled to see her happy and in love, and they look forward to seeing what the future holds for her and Andersen.
Source: Us Weekly, People, The List, IMDb
