Who has Bethenny Frankel dated? Relationships timeline explored as reality star admits to being 'afraid' to date

Bethenny Frankel recently discussed her fear of dating, mentioning that she is hesitant to open up again. The reality TV star has been in some high-profile relationships, with her most recent being with businessman Tom Villante. She has also been involved with other notable partners, including Paul Bernon, former baseball star Alex Rodriguez, and producer Trevor Engelson.

According to People Magazine, Bethenny Frankel recently took to her TikTok to share more about her dating life. In the candid video, the Real Housewives of New York star mentioned that she has been hesitant to meet new people. She compared dating to getting food poisoning, adding that her past experiences have, in a way, made her afraid to start dating again. She said:

"I'm afraid to date. It's not like I'm actually actively afraid. It's like, I am so hesitant, because you know how, like, when you get food poisoning, you're just scared to eat that food again, even though rationally you know that, like, you're likely not gonna get food poisoning again from that same food, but you just can't bring yourself to do it?"

More about Bethenny Frankel's relationships

Bethenny Frankel has been involved in several high-profile relationships. According to People magazine, Frankel was first married to film producer Peter Sussman. The couple was married for just one year, from 1996 until their divorce in 1997. Not much is known about the relationship, but in an interview with Life & Style magazine, Frankel revealed how she married Sussman, who was her former best friend, and said:

"We were best friends for five years, and he always wanted to be more. I loved him because of how much he loved me. I got married too young. I didn’t wait for the great love of my life."

According to US Weekly, after her divorce from Sussman, Bethenny Frankel dated businessman Jason Colodne, the co-founder of Colbeck Capital Management. The couple dated for a short time, after which Frankel began dating Jason Hoppy.

According to People Magazine, the couple started dating in 2008 and tied the knot at the Four Seasons restaurant. They were married for two years before announcing their separation in 2012. During their marriage, the couple welcomed their daughter, Bryn Hoppy, in May 2010. They later announced their separation with a statement that read:

"This was an extremely difficult decision that, as a woman and a mother, I have to accept as the best choice for our family. We have love and respect for one another and will continue to amicably coparent our daughter who is and will always remain our first priority. This is an immensely painful and heartbreaking time for us.”

Following her separation from Hoppy in 2012, Bethenny Frankel was linked to Michael Cerussi III, but the two broke up after just a year of dating. She was also linked to businessman Marcus Lemonis and Michael Toppel, though Frankel never confirmed her relationships with either. At one point, Frankel was linked to Eric Stonestreet. Talking about her rumored relationship with the actor, she said:

"Eric Stonestreet and I are friends. He’s an awesome guy. I don’t confirm or deny dating rumors and that’s what I’m saying."

In her May 2017 appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Bethenny Frankel revealed that she had gone on two dates with Andy Rodriguez in 2009. She said:

"I’ve been out — I was out with him twice. I went out with him on two dates."

Bethenny Frankel was briefly linked to producer Trevor Engelson. During her appearance on Kyle annd Jackie O Show, Frankel spoke about their relationship, which turned more professional with time, and said:

“I met this guy as a romantic interest. His name is Trevor. I met him in Chicago and we were supposed to go out, and I ended up seeing him one time and he’d been texting me. He’s a producer in L.A. He told me that he was married before.”

Bethenny Frankel and Dennis Shields were in an on and off relationship for the next few years until his death in 2018 from an accidental overdose. The couple were reportedly engaged at the time of his untimely death. Later in 2018, Frankel was linked to Paul Bernon. The couple were together in an on and off relationship for six years, during which they were even engaged, until they announced their split for the final time in 2024.

In her August 10 video, uploaded on TikTok, Frankel talked about her how her past relationship experiences give her cold feet when it comes to dating. She said:

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"I dip my foot in and think I'm gonna do it, and then start talking to someone, and then I run away. I like stick my foot in the pool and then I'm like, 'It's too cold. I don't want to go in,' and I'm doing that a lot. So maybe one day that pool will be warm enough and it'll be a beautiful enough day to like get in, but until that day, I'm not even dipping my toe in anymore."

Bethenny Frankel's last known public relationship was with businessman Tom Villante. The former couple were first spotted at the New York premiere for season five of the Paramount series "Yellowstone." Although they were together for a few months, they never officially announced their split, and were last seen together in December.

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