Amanda Stanton and Josh Murray’s path from Bachelor in Paradise to family began with a televised engagement in 2016 but ultimately diverged into two separate lives. While their shared journey ended in a public 2017 split, both have since achieved their goals of building families with new partners as of 2026.
The Genesis of a Reality TV Power Couple
The relationship between Amanda Stanton and Josh Murray serves as one of the most cited examples of the "Paradise bubble"—a phenomenon where the isolated, tropical environment of a reality show accelerates romantic milestones. When Season 3 of Bachelor in Paradise premiered in the summer of 2016, Amanda Stanton was already a fan favorite. As a single mother of two daughters, Kinsley and Charlie, from her previous marriage to Nick Buonfiglio, Amanda’s narrative was centered on finding a stable, loving father figure for her children.
Josh Murray entered the beach as a known quantity in the franchise. He had previously "won" Andi Dorfman’s season of The Bachelorette, though that engagement ended amid significant public scrutiny and allegations detailed in Dorfman’s memoir, It’s Not Okay. Despite the warnings from fellow contestants and the shadow of his previous relationship, the chemistry between Amanda and Josh was instantaneous.
From their first date, the pair was inseparable. Josh’s aggressive pursuit of Amanda and her immediate reciprocation created a central conflict for the season, particularly involving Nick Viall, who had also expressed interest in Amanda. The "path to family" was established early on, with Josh frequently speaking about his desire to be a husband and a father, specifically embracing Amanda’s role as a mother. By the season finale, Josh proposed to Amanda on the beaches of Mexico, and the two left the show as an engaged couple, ready to merge their lives in Southern California.
The Irvine Transition: Attempting an Instant Family
Following the finale, the couple did not waste time. In a move that signaled a serious commitment to the "family" aspect of their relationship, Josh moved from his home in Atlanta, Georgia, to Amanda’s apartment in Irvine, California. This period, roughly spanning from September to December 2016, was characterized by high-visibility social media posts portraying a cohesive family unit.
Josh was frequently photographed with Kinsley and Charlie, participating in school drop-offs, holiday celebrations, and domestic life. For fans, it appeared that the Bachelor in Paradise success story was transitioning perfectly into real-world stability. However, the logistical and emotional pressure of integrating a new partner into a household with two young children under the lens of paparazzi and social media proved to be a significant strain.
During this time, the couple faced constant questions regarding their wedding date. While they remained publicly optimistic, reports began to surface regarding friction behind the scenes. The transition from the carefree environment of a tropical resort to the daily responsibilities of parenting and household management is a notorious hurdle for couples from the franchise, and for Amanda and Josh, the "path to family" began to show signs of instability.
The Public Split and Its Aftermath
By January 2017, the engagement was officially over. The breakup was not a quiet affair; it was marked by public statements and conflicting reports regarding the cause of the split. Amanda cited Josh’s temper and a "volatile" relationship dynamic, while sources close to Josh suggested that the pressures of the spotlight and lifestyle differences were to blame.
One of the most publicized incidents involved a dispute over a leased car, which resulted in police intervention several months after the initial breakup. This period marked a definitive end to their shared path. The dream of a family unit involving the two stars was replaced by a series of back-and-forth social media comments and interviews. For Amanda, the priority shifted back to her daughters and maintaining their privacy during the transition. For Josh, it meant a return to a more private life outside of the constant California media cycle, eventually leading him back toward the East Coast.
Amanda Stanton’s Journey to Her Forever Family
In the years following her split from Murray, Amanda Stanton remained a prominent figure in the influencer space, but her "path to family" took several more turns before finding permanent stability. She had high-profile relationships with other members of the Bachelor alumni, including Robby Hayes and Bobby Jacobs, but it was her meeting with Michael Fogel that eventually led to the family structure she had sought since her first appearance on television.
Amanda and Michael Fogel began dating in late 2020. Fogel, who worked in the construction and real estate industry, provided a different dynamic than her previous reality-TV-famous partners. Their relationship progressed steadily:
- Engagement: The couple became engaged in December 2021.
- Marriage: They wed in a beautiful ceremony in Santa Ynez, California, in September 2022.
- Expansion: In August 2023, Amanda announced she was pregnant with her third child.
By early 2024, Amanda welcomed her son, Henry. As of 2026, Amanda’s life is defined by her role as a mother of three. Her path from Bachelor in Paradise was long and winding, but it eventually resulted in a blended family where her daughters, now older, and her young son are the focal points of her life. She has transitioned from a reality star seeking love to an established lifestyle entrepreneur and mother, often sharing the realities of parenting a toddler alongside teenagers.
Josh Murray’s Shift to Private Fatherhood
Josh Murray’s trajectory post-2017 was notably more private than Stanton’s. After the fallout from their engagement, Murray stepped back from the reality TV spotlight, focusing on fitness, faith, and his professional endeavors. While he occasionally appeared in headlines regarding his dating life, he largely avoided the "influencer" lifestyle that many of his peers embraced.
The most significant development in Josh’s "path to family" occurred in late 2023. Murray revealed that he had become a father, welcoming a son named Augustine. Unlike his previous relationships, Josh kept the identity of his partner and the details of his home life relatively guarded. This shift signaled a departure from the "performance" of romance that characterized his time on The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise.
In 2026, Josh Murray is reported to be fully immersed in fatherhood. His social media, once filled with promotional content and red-carpet photos, now leans toward his experiences as a dad and his involvement in sports and community work. While he and Amanda never reconciled, their parallel journeys show that both individuals remained committed to the goal of parenthood, even if they had to find different partners to achieve it.
Comparative Timeline of Family Milestones
| Milestone | Amanda Stanton | Josh Murray |
|---|---|---|
| Initial TV Appearance | The Bachelor Season 20 (2016) | The Bachelorette Season 10 (2014) |
| Paradise Engagement | August 2016 (to Josh) | August 2016 (to Amanda) |
| The Breakup | January 2017 | January 2017 |
| Marriage/Stable Partnership | Married Michael Fogel (Sept 2022) | Long-term private partnership (circa 2022) |
| New Children Post-Paradise | Son (Henry) born 2024 | Son (Augustine) born 2023 |
| Current Family Status (2026) | Mother of three; Married | Father of one; Private Partnership |
The Impact of Reality TV on Family Planning
The story of Amanda and Josh is often used by media psychologists and reality TV analysts to discuss the efficacy of "finding a family" on television. The Bachelor franchise is designed to produce an engagement within a matter of weeks, which places an immense burden on the "family" aspect when children are already involved.
In Amanda’s case, bringing a partner home to meet her children was a significant plot point. The failure of that relationship highlight’s a major risk: the emotional impact on the children when a "stepfather figure" enters and leaves their lives rapidly. Since the 2016 season, the franchise has seen a slight shift in how it handles single parents, often providing more "off-camera" time for parents to vet their partners, though the core pressures of the show remain.
For Josh, the experience demonstrated the difficulty of overcoming a "villain" narrative or a controversial past in the wake of a highly public breakup. His move toward a more private life was likely a strategic choice to protect his new family from the same scrutiny that plagued his time with Amanda and Andi Dorfman.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Amanda and Josh break up?
The couple officially split in early 2017 due to what they described as incompatible lifestyles and personality clashes. Amanda later cited "volatility" in the relationship, while Josh emphasized the difficulty of maintaining a high-profile relationship while moving across the country to join a pre-existing family unit. Their split was further complicated by a publicized dispute over a vehicle lease and unpaid expenses, which required brief legal/police mediation.
Are Amanda Stanton and Josh Murray still friends?
No, the two have not maintained a friendship. Following their 2017 split and the subsequent legal drama regarding their shared assets, they have largely avoided each other. Both have moved on to new relationships and have not been seen together at Bachelor alumni events for several years. In interviews, both have expressed that they have moved on and wish each other well from a distance.
Who is Amanda Stanton married to now?
As of 2026, Amanda Stanton has been married to Michael Fogel for nearly four years. They wed in September 2022 in Santa Ynez. Michael is not a member of the Bachelor franchise, which Amanda has noted helped provide a more "normal" and grounded foundation for their family life. They share one son together, in addition to Amanda’s two daughters from her first marriage.
Does Josh Murray have kids?
Yes. Josh Murray became a father in late 2023, welcoming a son named Augustine. He has embraced a more private lifestyle in recent years, focusing on raising his son away from the reality television cameras. While he shares occasional updates about fatherhood on social media, he has kept his partner’s identity and their daily family life largely out of the tabloid press.
What happened to the kids Amanda had before Paradise?
Kinsley and Charlie, Amanda’s daughters from her marriage to Nick Buonfiglio, are now in their pre-teen and early teenage years as of 2026. They have grown up in the public eye through Amanda’s social media and lifestyle brand. By all accounts, they have a strong relationship with their stepfather, Michael Fogel, and are active in helping raise their younger brother, Henry.
Final Perspective on the Paradise-to-Family Path
The journey of Amanda Stanton and Josh Murray illustrates that while Bachelor in Paradise can be a catalyst for romance, the "path to family" is rarely a straight line. The 2016 engagement was a product of a specific moment in reality TV history, characterized by high drama and rapid commitment. However, the true "family" outcomes for both individuals required time, privacy, and partners found outside the franchise’s immediate bubble. Readers looking to follow their current lives should look to their independent platforms, where both have successfully transitioned from reality TV contestants to dedicated parents.
