⁠How long did Chris Stanley and Bret LaBelle date? Former breaks silence following his split with the 'Survivor' alum

Survivor alumnus Bret LaBelle announced his split with content creator Chris Stanley; he wrote, "Sometimes love means letting go." After dating for almost four years, the couple, who often garnered attention due to their 27-year age gap, made their breakup public on social media. Both parties shared heartfelt postings and thoughts on their time together.

Chris Stanley, now 25, first encountered Bret LaBelle, a 51-year-old reality TV celebrity and Boston police lieutenant, after the younger influencer crept into his direct messages sometime in 2021. The two hit it off right away, developing a relationship that withstood criticism from the public, age-gap conversations, and frequent misidentification, even mistaking them for father and son.

Stanley addressed that in a 2023 interview with The Advocate, stating:

“Sometimes people think he’s actually my dad. Other people think I’m just with him for money. They think he’s my sugar daddy, which obviously isn’t true.”

Adding to that, he said:

“Sometimes people make the outrageous claim that I was ‘groomed’ or something.”

He emphasized that he was the one who pursued, and the relationship was completely voluntary. He had stated:

“I was the one who pursued."

After appearing on Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X in 2016, Bret LaBelle participated on The Amazing Race in 2019. Stanley rose to fame as a gay content creator who was popular on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. He developed a fan following because of his kindness, sense of humor, and concern for LGBTQ+.

During their time together, Bret LaBelle and Chris Stanley often shared images of their daily lives on their social media, giving everyone a glimpse. The pair routinely laughed off public preconceptions about their relationship while sharing milestones, such as Christmas festivities and trip vlogs.

Stanley shared a popular story about a cashier who thought Bret LaBelle was his father during a Christmas tree purchasing excursion. Stanley played along with her rather than correcting her. He quipped to Page Six,

“I’m left wondering what the look would have been like on her face if I had told her [the truth].”

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Chris Stanley breaks silence following his split from Bret LaBelle

Chris Stanley uploaded a post about the two breaking up a day after Bret LaBelle had written a touching message of the two holding hands together with The Night We Met as the background music. Bret wrote:

“Sometimes love means letting go. Chris and I have shared so many memories, laughter, and growth together, and I will always be grateful for that. While our paths are now going in different directions, the care and respect remain. Wishing him nothing but happiness, love, and success on his journey. Thank you for the memories.”

In Stanley's post, he explained their breakup, mentioned that he was grateful for everything, and shared the rest of the details on YouTube.

In his YouTube video, Stanley disclosed that the split had taken place "a few months ago," despite their connection and devoted fan following. He clarified that the postponement of coming public gave him time to think things through and relax.

He went on to explain that he and Bret LaBelle had broken up a while back, and he took some time for himself. He explained:

"Bret and I did break up a few months ago. And, you know, I took some time off, I took a few months to reflect on everything, decompress, think about what I wanna do next, and here I am finally making this video."

He added:

"I'm not really here to spill tea, point fingers, or talk about some drama or some scandal… Because nothing really happened. We're still on good terms. And maybe, eventually, when [the breakup] isn't still kind of fresh, I can talk about our relationship a little bit more. You guys only saw like what was on social media. Obviously, there's more to it than that."

He concluded that they both ended on good terms and was grateful to Bret.

"We were together for like 4 years. Sometimes it just doesn't work out, and that's OK. I love all the memories that I have with Bret. I love all the time we spent together. I don't regret it at all. I'm really grateful for the time we did spend together. And I wish him nothing but the best, really."

Stanley also read a private note that Bret LaBelle had given him following their breakup in his YouTube video:

“It sucks it took me 47 years to find a relationship this good and for you, it’s your first. I’m going to miss you, man.”

Other reality TV celebrities backed and supported the star. Squid Game: The Challenge competitor Dash Katz said, “Love y'all," while Big Brother 23 runner-up Derek Frazier added, “I love you both.”

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