Robbie Simpson may have entered Hallmark’s Finding Mister Christmas expecting competition, connection and cameras, but he didn’t expect to walk away with a new friend from the Bravo universe.
During a recent conversation with Gayety, Simpson opened up about the surprising celebrity encounter that happened immediately after filming wrapped, and how it led to an unlikely friendship with Real Housewives alum Bronwyn Newport.
Simpson explained that after finishing production in Park City, Utah, which he described as “incredible” and “so beautiful,” he flew out of Salt Lake City and joked with his partner, Kyle, about spotting Bravo stars in the airport.
“I thought, what if I see the housewives?” he said. Kyle quickly dismissed the idea. “He was like, ‘Robbie, they all fly private and you’ll never see them. Also, there are six women, just because you’re at the airport, you’re going to see them?’”
But Simpson’s instincts proved right.
“I get on my flight and in the row in front of me is Bronwyn Newport,” he recalled. “The chances… She’s it.”
Simpson said the coincidence was made even more surreal because he had purchased a Cameo from Newport just a month earlier as a gift for Kyle, the first Cameo he had ever bought. The two struck up a conversation on the plane, and their connection didn’t end when they landed.
“Long story short, the next day we were having drinks in New York City,” Simpson said. As it turned out, Newport was headed to New York for the Met Gala, and the pair made plans to meet up. Simpson described their conversation as unexpectedly meaningful and deeply affirming.
“I was sitting there having this incredible conversation with someone who I honestly do admire so much,” he said. “How she moves through life, how she deals with her friendships and these relationships… She was really helpful about being on a reality television show.”
The friendship has continued since. Simpson said they recently attended a Wicked event together. “Because of this, Bronwyn Newport has become a friend of mine,” he said. “We love — she’s the best.”
Simpson’s unexpected post-show encounter underscores the surprising blend of worlds he’s stepped into – Hallmark romance on one side, Bravo celebrity run-ins on the other. And for Simpson, the experience has become another unexpected gift from his time on Finding Mister Christmas: a new mentor, a new friend and a reminder that reality TV brings people together in ways no one can predict.
