The Bachelor season 28’s Joey Graziadei and Kelsey Anderson have been dealing with public backlash for months, but in the midst of breakup rumors and relationship struggles, they announced a major milestone. Joey and Kelsey’s relationship has been difficult since the couple announced their engagement during The Bachelor season 28 finale. Quickly thereafter, Bachelor Nation began speculating about how their relationship was playing out, what they were focusing on, and how they were dealing with the media scrutiny. Things have only gotten worse since Joey began competing in Dancing With The Stars season 33, inviting a slew of new criticism.
The Bachelor 's Joey Graziadei and Kelsey Anderson are celebrating a huge relationship milestone.
Although Joey and Kelsey have been the topic of conversation surrounding Bachelor Nation relationships that could be struggling, the pair happily announced that they’re celebrating the one-year anniversary of their engagement. In a post sharing photos from their recent experiences on Dancing With The Stars, Joey explained how happy he is having Kelsey in his life. “I know sitting and anxiously watching me dance on live TV probably wasn’t how you thought we’d spend our first anniversary, but I can’t tell you enough how much I appreciate your support,” Joey wrote, after sharing that he believes Kelsey is his everything.
Joey's vulnerability was followed by a second post on Kelsey's TikTok, where she shared a collection of moments from their first year together as a couple set to a sweet song. "One year of laughter, learning and love 💗 can’t wait to do it again 🥹," Kelsey captioned the video, tagging Joey. The compilation included photos and videos that viewers had seen before, as well as some never-before-seen footage of the couple throughout the first year of their relationship. The Bachelor couple were in their feelings, sharing their love with supporters as they recounted the last year of their lives.
What Joey & Kelsey’s Major Milestone Means For Relationship
The Couple Have Been Weathering The Storm
Although Joey and Kelsey have been falsely accused of struggling in their relationship, their anniversary post makes it clear that the couple has been able to keep their heads above water for the last year. Dealing with a new relationship in general can be difficult for any couple, but Joey and Kelsey have had to deal with media scrutiny from before they were even publicly together on top of the traditional issues new couples face. Handling their relationship as it’s transitioned from something viewers have access to on screen to something they share with the public hasn’t been easy.
While Joey and Kelsey have had to work hard to understand the boundaries they want to have surrounding their relationship, functioning as a public-facing couple is harder than it's ever been before. The pair has had to deal with negative attention from every angle, making it difficult to know how to proceed and what to tackle when it comes to the rumors surrounding their potential split. In sharing more about their relationship, especially posting about such a major milestone, Joey and Kelsey are making it clear that they’re happily together. The pair is swiftly combating the negativity surrounding their relationship.
What Joey & Kelsey's First Year Has Looked Like
The Couple Has Been Each Other's Pillar Of Strength
The Bachelor season 28's end was the beginning of Joey and Kelsey's public relationship, which many were excited to see unfold. After some failrues from Bachelor Nation couples, viewers seemed hopeful about Joey and Kelsey's connection, but things quickly turned troubling when it came to the public perception of the pair. While Joey and Kelsey were happy and sharing more about their future plans, which at the time included a potential move to New York City for the duo, Bachelor Nation wasn't sure about what they could be hiding. Many were skeptical of the couple's happiness, and looked for scandal.
When Joey spoke up about some financial issues he'd faced during his time on The Bachelor, people began to speculate wildly about the couple's financial stability, making Joey seem like the villain while Kelsey was an innocent victim to his poor financial choices. Joey cleared up the rumor, but the mill continued to churn out bad stories surrounding the couple and the state of their relationship. Kelsey eventually began responding to these rumors on her TikTok, making light of them with and without Joey around. The pair have figured out how to manage the rumors about their steady, sweet love.
The DWTS Backlash Against Joey & Kelsey, Explained
Their Struggles Have Been Well-Documented
Although many find Joey and Kelsey to be a great pair and enjoy the way they navigate their public relationship, others have struggled to support them amid such constant backlash. When Joey chose to compete on Dancing With The Stars season 33, he knew there would be major public scrutiny of his time on the show and whoever was chosen to be his partner would be crucial to navigating the publicity. He asked for someone who was in a happy relationship, and after being paired with Jenna Johnson, he thought things would be a little less pressurized for his fiancée.
Unfortunately, the rumors began almost immediately despite Jenna being happily married to fellow DWTS pro Valentin Chmerkovskiy and the pair having a young son together. Joey and Kelsey took the high road, but spoke plainly about the fact that it was hurtful to them, Val, and Jenna that rumors were circulating about fidelity at all. The backlash against the pair made it clear that no matter what steps they take, there will be rumors in the press. Fortunately, both Joey and Kelsey have learned how to lean on each other and the supportive voices in Bachelor Nation amidst relationship struggles.
Our Take On Joey & Kelsey’s Relationship Milestone
They’re Doing Better Than Most Think
Although there have been some major rumors surrounding their relationship and the struggles they’ve allegedly been facing, Joey and Kelsey’s relationship has been something both have been excited to celebrate throughout the last year. After finally being able to publicly talk about their relationship, the pair has been clear that they’re prioritizing each other before any media outlet or social media post. Knowing that they have successfully made it a year out from their appearance on The Bachelor, Joey and Kelsey seem to be doing better than most believe.
