Why TLC's Whitney Thore Never Took Her Relationship With Buddy Bell To The Next Level

Whitney Thore and Buddy Bell have been teasing fans of "My Big Fat Fabulous Life" for some time, hinting at a possible romantic connection. However, despite their obvious chemistry, the friends have never taken their relationship to the next level, and they probably never will.

Thore and Bell's friendship goes way back — according to the reality star's Instagram, the two have been hanging out for over 20 years, which explains their enduring bond through various life experiences. Bell has stood by Thore's side during all of her complex relationship history, and she's been there for him when he struggled with addiction. They've even lived together at one point, as showcased on the popular TLC series, but no romantic advances were made at the time, at least not that we know of.

While numerous fans insist that Thore and Bell are destined for a real relationship, the BFFs themselves do not share this perspective. Thore even addressed the issue on social media, and given her response, we wouldn't be holding our breaths for a friends-turned-lovers kind of twist in the upcoming season.

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When doing an Instagram Q&A session, Whitney Thore couldn't avoid the ever-present Buddy Bell topic. "Why not give Buddy a chance romantically?" a person asked, not to Thore's delight, as noted by TV Shows Ace. "It's not like we're not giving it a chance," the reality star responded, explaining, "[We] don't have those feelings for each other."

Even though Thore claims both she and Bell find the topic annoying, fans were right to ask because Thore herself once did. In an episode of "My Big Fat Fabulous Life," the two BFFs were looking through some of Thore's photos, and Bell noted how much he liked one of them. His comment prompted Thore to ask him why they weren't together if he found her attractive, to which Bell awkwardly didn't answer.

Their relationship has been characterized by a mix of affection and occasional jealousy regarding each other's love interests throughout the show, but they have consistently maintained that they wouldn't pursue anything romantic. They have even shared stiff kisses on camera, with Thore describing it as a "weird moment" in an interview with Newsweek. She said that there isn't a word to describe the feeling and added, "When I kiss Buddy, it's always weird." Despite their reservations, TLC's viewers seem to have a different perspective on their relationship.

It's not uncommon for fans of reality TV shows to speculate about the romantic relationships of the cast members, especially when there's a close friendship like the one between Whitney Thore and Buddy Bell. Under a clip from the series in which Thore meets one of Bell's ex-girlfriends, a user pointed out the resemblance between the women. "Who else thinks Buddy's girlfriend is basically a different version of Whitney?" the comment read. "I love [Whitney] with Buddy! They're a perfect match," another person wrote under a video where Bell gets jealous over Thore's ex-boyfriend, Lennie Alehat.

While viewers may have their own hopes and preferences for the duo, the reality is that Bell is committed to his fiancée, Courtney Marsh, and Thore is involved with her new boyfriend, an anonymous man from Paris. Bell has been openly affectionate toward Marsh, frequently sharing sweet snaps of her on his Instagram, followed by heartfelt captions, as Thore hides her French beau, who won't be appearing on "My Big Fat Fabulous Life". It's evident that both have moved on to other romantic commitments, making it more likely that their connection remains rooted in friendship.