Kathie Lee Gifford’s no makeup photo shows her beautiful natural look

Kathie Lee Gifford has enjoyed a long and prosperous career. Alongside her late co-anchor Regis Philbin, the French-born star became a household name as a host on The Morning Show. She also delved into various media projects and authored children’s books.

Gifford’s private life has also drawn public interest. She has been married twice, with her second marriage to Frank Gifford lasting nearly three decades until his death in 2015.

Before that, Gifford, now 68, was married to composer and Christian music publisher Paul Johnson. They wed when Kathie was 22, but the marriage was disastrous, leaving her in tears on her wedding night.

What really happened? Here’s everything you need to know about Kathie Lee Gifford’s two marriages and who she is dating now.

Kathie Lee Gifford: Early Life and Career
Kathie Lee Gifford was born on August 16, 1953, in Paris, France. Her father was an American naval officer and jazz saxophonist on weekends, while her mother was a former naval secretary turned radio singer.

Due to her father’s postings, Kathie and her siblings lived in various European countries. They returned to the U.S. in 1957, settling in Bowie, Maryland. Gifford’s upbringing was religious; one grandparent was Jewish, and she primarily grew up in a Jewish environment. However, she attended a Methodist Sunday school and converted to Christianity at 12 after watching a Billy Graham crusade on TV.

From a young age, Kathie aspired to be an actress and singer, feeling guided by God at every turn. At 17, she won her state’s Junior Miss Pageant and was discovered by Christian singer Anita Bryant, who invited her to live with her family in Florida. Gifford accepted and spent a year working as a singer and secretary for Bryant, though she eventually left due to the stifling nature of Bryant’s influence.

First Marriage: Paul Johnson
Kathie Lee married Paul Johnson in 1976. As a devout Christian, she remained a virgin until marriage and eagerly anticipated their union. However, their wedding night in Acapulco, Mexico, was a disaster, and their marriage never developed a comfortable sexual relationship.

Gifford spent the entire wedding night in tears, realizing her mistake. The marriage lasted seven years, ending in divorce in 1983. Gifford later described the marriage as “awful” and “horrible,” admitting it was a real disappointment for both.

Second Marriage: Frank Gifford
Kathie Lee’s career flourished as she co-hosted The Morning Show with Regis Philbin, later renamed Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, from 1985 to 2000. She then hosted the fourth hour of NBC’s Today until 2018, leaving partly due to the death of her second husband, Frank Gifford, in 2015.

Kathie and Frank married in 1986 after meeting on Good Morning America. They had two children, Cody (born 1990) and Cassidy (born 1993). Despite a rough patch in 1997 when Frank cheated, Kathie chose to forgive him, and they maintained a loving marriage until his death.

Frank, a former football player, struggled with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease, and passed away weeks before his 85th birthday. Kathie described him as a good, gentle, and generous man, and his loss was profound.

Life After Frank
Since 2018, Kathie has lived outside Franklin, Tennessee, and despite leaving TV in 2020, she remains active and feels rejuvenated. She celebrated her children’s weddings in a short span and felt Frank’s spirit present.

Following Frank’s death, Kathie wasn’t keen on dating but eventually met Randy Cronk, an insurance agent from Cincinnati, Ohio. In 2019, she revealed she had started dating again, finding joy and companionship with Randy.

Kathie Lee Gifford, now 68, continues to radiate beauty and grace, with an impressive net worth of around $60 million. She remains a beloved figure, both for her professional achievements and her resilience in personal life.