“Friends, I’m so so so excited to share some good news!” Ricki Lake announced on Feb. 20. “I’m engaged! [ring emoji] [heart emoji.] This is Ross. He is my person. He is wonderful.” The Ross that Ricki, 53, mentioned is none other than Ross Burningham, the man she hopes to spend the rest of her life with. “I love him very much, and I am so grateful I get to love and be loved so deeply by this stellar human. Our next chapter is sure to be a good one.” As Ricki prepares to start this new chapter, here’s what you need to know about her husband-to-be.
1. Ross is a private person.
At the moment, not much is known about Ross, which appears to be the way he likes it. As a private citizen, he’s kept himself out of the spotlight. His Instagram is private, and he seems to be a low-key gent. His only major public “appearances” have come via Ricki’s Instagram. “My [heart]. My king,” she captioned a Feb. 15 photo of Ross, his hands outstretched towards her as she looked down in love.
2. He is an Aquarius.
The only major detail about Ross that’s currently available is that he just celebrated a birthday. “Happy Birthday Ross!” Ricki posted on Feb. 10, making him an Aquarius. In the photos, Ross posed with Ricki’s dog and alongside her on the beach. “You have brought me so much joy and peace and laughs these last few months. I pinch myself, I am such a lucky girl. Thank you for choosing me. I love you.
3. How long has Ross been dating Ricki?
Ross and Ricki have been dating for over a year, according to PEOPLE. “Ross and I literally pinch ourselves that we have found each other at this time in our lives, she told the publication. Ricki kept this relationship to herself during the first few months, eventually going public with the romance in December 2020. That month, the Hairspray actress shared a selfie of her with Ross. “LOVE,” she captioned the shot of them together.
This “Instagram Official” pic was greeted with love from friends and fans, who said they “can’t wait to meet him” and were “happy for you, Ricki.”Ever since going public with the relationship, Ricki has shared pictures of her and Ross hanging out, going on literal romantic walks on the beach, and celebrating the holidays together. “Happy Boxing Day!” she captioned a Dec. 26, 2020 photo of her and Ross, one that showed her soon-to-be-fiancé in a San Diego Padres hoodie.
4. Does Ross Burningham have any kids?
Apparently, Ross is like Ricki in that they both have adult kids from a previous relationship. “Both of us, newly empty-nesters, we feel as if we are kids again. We are filled with gratitude and joy for what is to come,” Ricki told PEOPLE. It’s unclear how many kids Ross has, but Ricki has two adult children: 23-year-old Milo Sussman and 19-year-old Owen Sussman.
5. Ross will be Ricki’s third husband.
When Ross and Ricki say “I Do,” this will mark the former talks show host’s third time down the aisle. She was previously married to Rob Sussman, the father of her two children, from 1994 to 2004. She was also married to Christian Evans from 2012 to 2015. Sadly, Christian struggled with bipolar disorder, and tragically, ended his life in 2017. Ricki paid tribute to Christian on the fourth anniversary of his death. “#christianevans continues to be my greatest teacher. Through his #compassion and #kindness for others, especially those suffering with #mentalillness. Forever grateful for the #uncondtionallove we shared. #kindnessisking #neverforget #suicideprevention #bipolar #love #loveiseternal,” she wrote on Instagram.