Chris Hansen is currently married to Gabrielle Gagnon. The couple tied the knot in November 2021, roughly a year after his divorce from his first wife of three decades was finalized.
For longtime fans of To Catch a Predator, the question of who Chris Hansen is married to comes with a bit of history—and a few tabloid headlines he probably wishes would stay buried. Here’s the full picture of his marriages, from the quiet first one to the more recent chapter.
Chris Hansen’s Current Wife: Gabrielle Gagnon
Gabrielle Gagnon has been married to Hansen since November 2021. Their engagement happened in December 2020, just a few months after his divorce from Mary Joan was finalized.
How They Met
Their meeting was about as random as it gets. According to reports, Hansen and Gagnon met at a restaurant in Michigan while they were each having dinner with separate groups of friends. The restaurant, At Beau’s in Bloomfield, became the unlikely starting point for their relationship.
A Surprise Wedding
Hansen announced the marriage on Instagram with a simple caption: “So this happened this evening.”. The news came about a month after he’d been taken into custody in July 2021 over a warrant related to a Michigan sex trafficking case—a situation he later said was a miscommunication about court documents.
Gabrielle keeps a relatively low profile. She’s active on Instagram with a modest following and joined Cameo in 2024.
Chris Hansen’s First Wife: Mary Joan Hansen
Before Gabrielle, there was Mary Joan Hansen—the woman who stood by him through the To Catch a Predator years, and who ultimately walked away after nearly three decades.
A Long Marriage
Chris and Mary Joan married in 1989 and had two sons together. The family lived in Stamford, Connecticut, while Hansen also kept an apartment in New York City.
The Divorce
Mary Joan filed for divorce in June 2018, citing that the marriage had “broken down irretrievably.” She requested alimony and a fair division of property and debts.
The divorce was finalized in March 2020.
The Scandal That Led to the Divorce
You can’t tell the story of Chris Hansen’s marriages without addressing the elephant in the room: the 2011 cheating scandal.
The Affair with Kristyn Caddell
In July 2011, the National Enquirer reported that Hansen had been caught on camera having an affair with Kristyn Caddell, a 30-year-old NBC anchor from West Palm Beach. Hansen was 51 at the time.
The reports claimed the affair lasted four months and that Hansen had told Caddell he was getting divorced—something she later learned was false.
A Second Mistress?
The story got messier. Reports also surfaced that Hansen had been seeing a Las Vegas stripper named Kathleen Collins at the same time. According to those reports, Collins was shocked to learn through the press that Hansen was also involved with Caddell.
The Denial
A source close to Hansen initially called the romance reports false, saying he and Caddell were just friends. But the tabloid released video footage, and the story stuck.
Why the Timing Matters
The affair reports surfaced in 2011, but Mary Joan didn’t file for divorce until 2018—seven years later. Reports indicated the couple had been living separate lives on opposite coasts for a long time before the filing.
In other words, the cheating scandal didn’t immediately end the marriage, but it certainly didn’t help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Chris Hansen married to now?
Chris Hansen is married to Gabrielle Gagnon. They wed in November 2021.
Who was Chris Hansen’s first wife?
His first wife was Mary Joan Hansen. They were married from 1989 to 2020 and share two sons.
When did Chris Hansen get divorced?
The divorce was finalized in March 2020, nearly two years after Mary Joan filed in June 2018.
How did Chris Hansen meet Gabrielle Gagnon?
They met at a restaurant in Michigan while having separate dinners with friends.
Did Chris Hansen cheat on his first wife?
Yes, according to multiple reports. He was allegedly caught on camera in 2011 having an affair with Kristyn Caddell, a Florida news anchor.
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