Are Patrick Duffy and Linda Purl Still Together? Updates on the ‘Dallas’ Actor’s Relationship
After the heartbreaking loss of his wife of more than 40 years, Patrick Duffy opened up his heart to find love again in Hollywood. The Dallas alum began dating Linda Purl in the summer of 2020 and recently gave an update on whether or not they are still together.
How Did Patrick Duffy and Linda Purl Meet?
Patrick revealed that he and Linda had several “little hints” that they “missed meeting each other by inches over the years” during a May 2023 interview with Senior Planet.
“In 1978 I passed up an offer to star on a TV show, The Young Pioneers, with Linda because I’d just been offered the role of Bobby Ewing in Dallas,” he told the outlet. “We were also in the same episode of [a] TV show, Circus of the Stars, but we never met.”
Eventually, they crossed paths in 2000 in London while Patrick was working on Art on the West End with Linda’s friend Richard Thomas. The pair were briefly introduced and met up again later on at a fan convention.
“In a roundabout way, Linda Gray introduced us. Patrick and I were at one of these big conventions for autographs and Linda Gray was meant to be there,” Linda recalled. “We’d done a movie together and I adored her, so I bolted over to the Dallas table to say hi to Linda who was not there. But Patrick was.”
Who Was Patrick Duffy’s Late Wife?
Patrick was married to Carlyn Rosser from 1974 up until her death in 2017. They welcomed two kids during their marriage, sons Padraic and Conor. The Bold and the Beautiful actor once told the story of how he fell in love at first sight with his late wife.
“I was an immature college graduate touring as narrator with this dance production, and she was a beautiful ballerina 10 years older,” Patrick told Closer. “We met on the tour bus and that was it — for life.”
He was left devastated by Carlyn’s death and opened up about managing his grief.
“It was a surprise when she passed. There was no indication. So that was the big adjustment,” he shared. “My boys were there as stalwarts. But I also realized that, as much as they were trying to buttress old Dad up, I’m probably more adjusted to this set of circumstances than they are. You reach a certain age and you realize the road ahead is much shorter than the road behind.”
Patrick Duffy and Linda Purl Found Love Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
The turning point in Patrick and Linda’s relationship came amid the COVID-19 pandemic when their projects came to a halt and they got to chatting more frequently.
“We chatted periodically and then we started doing Zoom and, before long, we were zooming every night for two or three hours,” Linda, who has been married and divorced four times, revealed. “The conversation went from chatty and fun until, after a few months, it moved to a deeper level.”
A year after making things official, the pair revealed they were still going strong and were grateful for another chance at love.
“To look forward to every moment you can be with somebody is a real gift in a relationship,” Patrick told Closer in July 2021. “I am stunned every time that I realize this amazing woman loves me. It’s just like, wow!”
Are Patrick Duffy and Linda Purl Still Together?
Patrick and Linda are still happily together. The pair travel a lot, documenting their visits to other places on their social media accounts.
“They don’t seem to stay in one place for long. In the last month or two, they’ve been to Mexico, Tokyo and New York,” an insider told Closer in June 2024. “It’s too much for Patrick, and he wants to relax and settle down.”
But despite reports surrounding their frequent traveling, the pair insist they are happier than ever.
“We are very much in love and looking forward to celebrating our fourth anniversary, later this month in Colorado. Grateful for health, our boys and dear friends,” the couple told Closer in a joint statement.
