With guests—and filming for the show—temporarily barred, Whitney learned that Chase was set to become a dad through a phone call. "He was begging me to meet up with him, which I wasn't going to do, obviously not only for myself, but for my mom," she explained. "I found out about it over the phone...There's not a good way to find out about that."

Put plainly, she continued, "It sucked. I was glad that I had my mom with me because otherwise I would have been totally alone, but it was pretty sh--ty."

Eventually, the two did come face-to-face, as is teased in the show's season eight trailer. "That was really hard for me to decide whether to do or not," she explained. "The whole thing was bizarre—just to have to get that kind of information...when you can't be face-to-face with somebody...and then when we did meet up, it was a lot of stress just in general around the whole thing and it wasn't a normal meet up."

For starters, she elaborated, "It was outside, wearing masks. It was just bizarre. It's just like the Twilight Zone—all of it is."

While the season seven finale left off with the happy, newly engaged couple in the City of Light, Whitney told E! News, "I kind of felt that things were not going great over the holidays."

"I do a fan cruise every November," she recalled. "He came, but he almost didn't come because he was starting to work at this bar and then the bar continued to be the reason that he was still in Wilmington and had not moved to Charlotte [N.C.], so I was, like, not really super happy with the way things were going."

Then, she traveled to Europe without Chase in December 2019. "Things were pretty tense I would say around that time," she described, "so it was around that time that he had got this woman pregnant."

Now, more than a year after he dropped to his knee at the Eiffel Tower, the last signs of their former romance can be found in cordial social media likes. "I spoke to him not too long ago and I try to be kind of supportive I guess online," she said. "I feel bad because it's hard when something this personal and private plays out in public and people are really awful to him online, which I really don't like. I actually, I hate it. I feel bad for him, so right now the extent of our communication is me liking his Instagram posts—that's it."

Should something arise that required addressing, "he would speak to me," Whitney clarified, "but we're not in communication."

Meanwhile, everyone in her life has been supportive, including of course, mom and dad. "My parents really liked him. Obviously, they're really disappointed for me, but I think they stayed pretty just, like, stable through the whole thing, I just think so that maybe I could feel some kind of stability," she recalled. "They weren't losing their tempers or cussing or anything like that...I think they were just kind of quiet, just disappointment in the way that it turned out."
 
Despite the stoicism, she knows they remain concerned. "They haven't said this," she continued, "but obviously I think that they're probably, you know, they worry about me like settling down, finding happiness while they're still on the Earth, so I'm sure that they're not too happy that I had to start over...They're no closer to grandchildren or anything like that, so it kind of sucks for them as well."

While she's been able to lean on those closest in her life, online critics claiming her relationship with Chase was fake haven't made matters any easier. "It's really disheartening to me that every relationship I've ever been in that's been public, people have said this. This is nothing new," she pointed out. "I read about myself online all the time. People actually say that my friends are paid actors or that nobody could really like me, so obviously they must be getting a big benefit from it."

Whitney notices the speculation ramps up more so around her romantic relationships with men. "It's not surprising. I think it's just sad. I think it's a sad reflection on the fact that people think that fat women can't be loved or that they have a feeling that this person is too attractive or this person's too good for her or why would they want her?" she said. "To me, it just speaks about how people view fat women."

It's all the more concerning for Whitney when the conjecture is sparked by a person approaching her as a fan, like when someone asked for a picture with her at an airport and then added to speculation online the romance was bogus because she and Chase weren't sitting together on a plane returning from France and had allegedly not interacted. "As a person in the public, it makes you feel really unsafe and it makes you feel really disappointed in people," Whitney said in response. "It makes you feel like your boundaries are being crossed...If they want to force me to say it—no, Chase didn't sit next to me on the plane because I have two seats. That's why. Because I need two seats to be comfortable on a transatlantic flight."

While Chase is out of the picture, her longtime friend—and again-roommate—Buddy Bell remains a constant in her life, a platonic one. "He has been the best friend to me. He has waited on me hand and foot. He has done everything for me and he's also seen me naked for hours every single day and we're still not dating, so I'm gonna go with we're just gonna be friends," she clarified. 

Recalling how he picked her up from the hospital during the pandemic and stayed with her after she was struggling with panic attacks, Whitney reiterated, "He's been the most wonderful person to me. I could never repay him, literally, for the rest of my life. I don't know what I would have done without him. He's been so wonderful."

While their friendship lives on, 2020 has undoubtedly been a year of unexpected change for Whitney. However, with time comes the chance to mend. "I had months where I just cried every single day and it was awful," she shared, "but I am coming out on the other side now, so that's the positive."

Now, as a new season of the show debuts on Nov. 10, the 36-year-old is approaching her sixth year of sharing her story on television and making an impact in the process. While Whitney acknowledges important moments have happened in body positivity and inclusivity from the time of the show's 2015 premiere to now, there's still plenty of ground to cover. 

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"As a person of my size, you know, Ashley Graham who's beautiful and wonderful, but her being on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit doesn't do anything for me," she said. "That doesn't help people respect people in bodies like mine."

"It's good we're seeing some steps in some kind of direction," she continued. "I would love to see the focus taken off sexualizing women for their curves, which is I feel like the direction that we're headed in."

As Whitney pointed out, the acceptance is still specific and limited. "Now, we can recognize like, 'Oh, certain women of a certain size can still be sexy,' and yes of course that's true, but that doesn't feel like progress to me," she told E! News. "We're talking about size 14/16 models with perfect proportions. We're not talking about super fat people like me and people bigger than me, fat people in disabled bodies and things like that, so it's a long road. We're still fighting for gay rights and trans rights and all this kind of stuff, so I have no illusions that we slap a model on a magazine and we're done here."

Despite the ways the movement has become commodified and co-opted, "it's still a move in the right direction," Whitney said, "which is important, so I just think that we have a lot more to do than people would think because I'm concerned about like anti-discrimination laws, I'm concerned about doctors treating fat people's illnesses and not just their fatness."

Still, the visibility that she has garnered with the show is not lost on Whitney. 

"At the end of the day, I just think if the only thing that this accomplishes is that someone anywhere in the world—because the show airs on every continent except for Antarctica—so, if someone can turn on the TV and see someone who looks like them and see representation," she said, "if that's all it accomplished, then that would make me feel like I've done something very meaningful, so this show is a great vehicle for that."

"For me to kind of put a woman of my size in the cultural zeitgeist," Whitney continued, "is something that I never thought would happen and I'm eternally grateful for and will want to continue to do for as long as I can."

A new season of My Big Fat Fabulous Life airs Tuesdays at 8/9c on TLC. 

(This story was originally published on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. PST)

Frankel, who handles strategic partnerships in music at Cameo, excitedly shared the news on his Instagram page. "I asked my best friend to marry me, and she said 'YES'! So excited to spend the rest of my life with the most amazing, hilarious, beautiful, and inspiring woman I've ever known," he gushed in a caption. "I couldn't imagine a life without you. We make the best team, and we make everything fun and memorable. I liked it, so I put a [ring] on it. Love you to the moon and back @gabby3shabby."

He also shared pictures of his proposal setting, including rose petals on a bed, balloons that spelled out "WILL YOU MARRY ME" and a tag for their cat that read, "WILL YOU MARRY MY DADDY?"

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Back in 2017, the bride-to-be revealed what she was looking for in her ideal man. "I'm not very superficial. I like really funny guys, I like guys who are smart, I like people that read, I like people that have really interesting things to do, I like people that really enjoy their jobs," she told People. "I don't want somebody who's like constantly stressed and in a state of their life that they don't want to be in — you've got to be upwardly mobile; that's emotionally, spiritually, physically and monetarily."

It looks like these two are officially ready to enter into a new stage of life: marriage. For more famous couples preparing to tie the knot, check out E!'s gallery of 2020 celebrity engagements here. 

Needless to say, there was plenty for the music world to celebrate, spurring some especially candid responses to the news. For all the one-of-a-kind reactions from the 2021 nominees, just keep scrolling. 

Don't forget to tune in to the 63rd Grammy Awards Jan. 31, 2021 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. 

On August 8, the actress paid tribute to what was originally supposed to be their wedding day. "A couple, a pandemic, & a postponed wedding: A series," she captioned playful pictures of them posing as a bride and groom at a winery. "We were supposed to get married today. Instead... we took pictures and drank wine. I love you to Pluto & back @wellsadams."

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As for their highly anticipated nuptials, Hyland confirmed during a June episode of The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons — Ever! that they put all planning on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic. "All of my family is mostly on the East Coast, so for them to fly out," she told Chris Harrison, "and just ages and of course with my health risks, we want to be as safe as possible."

While the wait continues, keep scrolling to relive the couple's adorable romance. 

With Noah newly in the role so ends Alicia Keys' reign as Grammys host, which she held for the past two years. As the late-night host mentioned, he's no stranger to being a Grammy nominee himself after earning his first nod last year for Best Comedy Album, though he lost to Dave Chappelle.

Meanwhile, Billie Eilish swept the top awards in 2020. As for who will be the big contenders in 2021, fans will just have to stay tuned as the nominees are set to be announced on Tuesday at 12 p.m. ET.  

"Despite the fact that I am extremely disappointed that the #GRAMMYs have refused to have me sing or be nominated for Best Pop Album, I am thrilled to be hosting this auspicious event.” - @TrevorNoah https://t.co/d25VUfSxe1

— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) November 24, 2020

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the 63rd show will go on with a broadcast on Jan. 31, 2021 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. 

Offering more context on the casting, the director explained, "This Zoom audition took place in August, after four months of lockdown. A number of my co-workers were also on the auditions which happened over several days. It was emotional to see actors work so hard to win the few parts available and we were deeply moved by the passion of these young people under the extraordinary circumstances."

The director also clarified what he meant by his controversial choice of words. "I was using the word 'poor' in the sense of deserving sympathy, as opposed to any economic judgment," Shapeero wrote. "My words were being spoken from a genuine place of appreciation for what the actors were having to endure, stuck in confined spaces, finding it within themselves to give a role-winning performance under these conditions."

Still, he is "mortified" over the incident and described the effects the unchangeable situation has had on him. "I move forward from this incident a more empathetic man; a more focused director and," he noted, "I promise, an even better partner to actors from the audition process to the final cut."

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In the video Gage initially posted, the Euphoria star was standing in front of a camera in his apartment when Shapeero could be heard talking in the background of the virtual meeting without realizing he was unmuted. "These poor people live in these tiny apartments," Shapeero said. "Like, I'm looking at his, you know, background and he's got his TV and you know..." 

Gage interrupted Shapeero to let him know he was unmuted and to move on. "I know it's a sh--ty apartment," he quipped, "that's why give me this job so I can get a better one."

Shapeero, in shock, was apologetic. "Oh my God, I am so, so sorry," he told Gage. The actor responded, "Listen, I'm living in a four by four box, it's fine. Just give me the job and we'll be fine." 

On how his musical dreams were fostered:

"Ms. Parker, she was the vocal class teacher and I told her I want to be a singer…and she had no hesitation to believe me," Mendes recalled. "My parents, my friends—nobody for one second looked at me and said you're crazy. Everybody was like, 'Go for it.'"

On meeting Camila:

"She was in Fifth Harmony and we were both opening," he recalled of Austin Mahone's 2014 tour. "My very first tour ever and she was the act after me. I was the first in the lineup with the shortest set and they went on. Five years ago, man."

Camila added, "He was so super hyper-focused on what he was doing. I never saw him that whole tour...I thought he was cute, but I was like, he's doing other stuff, so whatever."

On being only friends at first: 

As the story goes, the rising young performers crossed paths again backstage at a Taylor Swift show, where they started writing "I Know What You Did Last Summer." As a result, they spent a lot of time together performing the 2015 hit. "That's really when the f--king saga started," Camila said. "I really liked him. I guess he liked me, but I don't really know." 

Despite not being a couple initially, "she was always there to look out for me as a human being," Shawn said. "She's got my back and I think that's what your partner's for."

On Camila inspiring all of Shawn's songs: 

In the documentary, the "Wonder" singer recalled telling his famous girlfriend that every song he's ever written has been about her. "She's like, 'Oh my God.' She literally had no idea. This whole time I thought she knew," he said. "I don't think that I'm going to be able to write songs that really do it justice, that can really capture the things and the feelings with her."

On their new home life together: 

In the summer of 2019, the pair lived together for the first time. "Camila and I are staying in an apartment in New York City for the very first time alone and making eggs and trying to figure out how to use a Keurig," he described. "Normal things, you know? This is really cool to just be like a 21-year-old guy and getting older. That's happening for me, too."

On his early apprehensions about fame: 

Mendes' younger sister Aaliyah Mendes recalled a significant comment her sibling made that he doesn't remember anymore. "I asked him if he wanted to be famous one day and he shut the whole idea down so fast," she shared. "He was like, 'No, I don't want to be famous. It seems awful.'"

On his struggles with his voice:

Throughout the documentary, Shawn shares the anxieties he has around his voice and the wear and tear he faces with it on tour. "I'm constantly warming up and I'm constantly checking my voice," he said, "out of fear of the fact that one day I'm gonna go to sing and it's gonna just not come out."

In Wonder is streaming on Netflix now. 

In September, divorce lawyer Vikki Ziegler told E! News, "Teresa and Joe made their family a priority, mediating their marital matters despite Covid -19 and the logistics of Joe living out of the country. They both compromised and were ready to start a new chapter focusing on the wellbeing of their girls, whom they both love so much."

She continued, "It was refreshing to see a couple who have been through so much work together through emotional topics obtaining the best outcome for their entire family. They can both be very proud of each other."

Teresa's relationship with Luis marks the first she's made public since filing for divorce last year after 20 years of marriage. As for Joe, he recently got a visit from two of their four daughters—Gia Giudice, 19, and Milania Giudice, 15—for the first time in almost a year. 

"What am I going to do, have the kids move here to a country that they don't even know the language?" Joe told E! News in October. "That would be a disaster. That'll be even worse. So, the only thing we can do is try to make things the best we can. It's a shame what they had to go through, those kids. Thank God they're tough kids, but it's still a d--n shame. At the end of the day, you know, we're doing our best."

(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

G-Eazy, who handed out the award for Collaboration of the Year on Sunday night to Dan + Shay with Justin Bieber for "10,000 Hours," first sparked romance rumors with the Pretty Little Liars alum in May. Six months later, they're still going strong. 

"Many people in their friend group thought Ashley and G would be a short fling, but they are very serious about each other," a source exclusively told E! News in October. "They have been inseparable for months and are basically living together at this point."

As for why they're a fitting pair, the insider explained the couple's "relationship works because they balance each other out and love to have fun." 

The insider also pointed out that there's no shortage of laughter between the stars. "They both make each other laugh all day long," the source said. "G-Eazy thinks that Ashley brings him more down to earth and keeps him grounded. It's been very healthy so far and they are in a great place." 

As she acknowledged, not everyone has the privilege of space in these socially distant times."It's families in LA, New York and Chicago that I am really thinking of during this holiday season," she said. "At least it is the holiday season and people tend to be indoors more and just kind of bundle up and be cozy, so I am hopeful that is what everyone will get to do."

With the year coming to an end and more uncertainty looming as 2021 inches closer, Cavallari is just as unsure about the future as everyone else.  

"2021 is up in the air, just like 2020," the reality star said. "We'll see what happens. I am not making any plans because I don't feel like anyone is able to at the moment, so, TBD. We'll see." 

In the meantime, the Uncommon James founder presented at the show, where she stepped out in style in a turtleneck gown with a high slit by The Attico to give The Weeknd the award for Favorite Male Artist—Soul/R&B.  

The freshly single Cavallari, who has been casually dating comedian Jeff Dye, is enjoying her newfound freedom. "Kristin is loving being single and is having fun right now," a source told E! News earlier this month.

The Very Cavallari star made it clear during her appearance on Bleav Podcast Network's On the List podcast in October that she is prioritizing her three children amid her divorce from Jay Cutler.

"But beyond my kids, I'm making myself a priority right now," she said. "I'm not ready to jump into a relationship, I'm not. I'm taking care of me and I'm figuring out ultimately what I'm going to want in life, and I'm going through the motions and the process of figuring that all out."

You might just want to put on some sunglasses first. Without further ado: 

Plus, there of course will be no shortage of music as performances from Katy Perry, Billie Eilish, The Weeknd, Jennifer Lopez, Shawn Mendes and more are in store.  

Now, as fans wait for the show to begin, get your best dance moves ready, prepare to sing along from your sofa and check out all the dazzling fashion as the stars arrive on the red carpet.

Spoiler alert: Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly made their red carpet debut as a couple and Lopez is rocking an edgy short 'do. Plus, we haven't even seen all of Henson's outfit changes yet. After a year like 2020, we'll take all the Hollywood glamour we can get.