Michael Gregory Rowe, known to many as Mike Rowe, is an American television host and narrator. He was born on March 18, 1962, in Baltimore, Maryland, to John and Peggy Rowe, both teachers. Rowe is best known for his host work on the Discovery Channel series “Dirty Jobs” and his narration for “Deadliest Catch” on the same channel. Rowe has also worked with The Science Channel and National Geographic doing voice work and narration for shows such as “How the Universe Works” and “Shark Week.”
Mike Rowe attended Overlea High School in 1980. He excelled in theatre and singing. He graduated with a degree in communication studies from Towson University. Rowe started his career in the 90s doing hosting and voice work for mostly radio broadcasting and TV commercials. In 2002, Rowe worked for TBS, hosting “Worst Case Scenario.” He hosted “The Most” for The History Channel from 2001 to 2004. During the same time, Rowe hosted “Evening Magazine” on KPIX-TV. He appeared in a news segment that detailed several unpleasant professions. This concept would eventually grow into “Dirty Jobs.”
Rowe continued hosting shows decades later with “Dirty Jobs: Rowe’d Trip” and “Someone’s Gotta Do It.” The original “Dirty Jobs” ended in 2012, but Rowe showed interest in doing a reboot for the show. The Covid pandemic disrupted plans, but Discovery Channel announced the show’s return with Rowe returning as the host. “Dirty Jobs” was revived and premiered its first episode on January 2, 2022.
With a colorful hosting and narration career, Rowe accumulated a decent fan base. Constant viewers of his programs showed interest in wanting to learn more about the enigmatic host. They wanted to know more about Rowe’s personal life, relationships, and sexuality. Is Mike Rowe gay? Does he have a wife? A boyfriend? A girlfriend? Does he have kids? These are some of the questions we’ll be answering. Continue reading so you may discover the truth behind the Discovery Channel host’s sexuality.
VOTE: What is Mike Rowe’s Sexuality?
Mike Rowe’s Dating History
Mike Rowe remains quiet when talking about his personal life. He made it a point to keep his relationships and personal life out of the public eye. Details about Rowe’s girlfriends or past relationships vary.
No one can be a hundred percent accurate about the Discovery Channel host’s past relationships. Mike Rowe is believed to have had several relationships in the past, but the 66-year-old doesn’t have any children. He has never been engaged, nor has he been divorced or married.
Mike Rowe and Sarah Colonna (2008-2011)
Sarah Colonna and Rowe reportedly dated between 2008 and 2011. There is limited information about the host and the food writer’s relationship. The two still maintain a professional relationship at present.
Mike Rowe and Danielle Burgio (2015)
In 2015, Rowe and actress Danielle Burgio got into a relationship. It was Rowe’s last “public” relationship. Little was known about the couple’s inner workings, even with their relationship being out in the open. Burgio is an actress, filmmaker, and stuntwoman. She is also a successful Broadway dancer. Rowe didn’t reveal much about his relationship with Brugio. He barely talked about her and their relationship during interviews. The couple never made any public appearances, and when they split up, Rowe stayed single for five years.
Mike Rowe and Sandy Dotson (2019)
Sandy Dotson is a non-showbiz personality working as a sales, marketing, customer service, and business manager. Dotson was linked to Rowe when the pair were spotted spending lots of quality time together during vacations. Rowe has kept details about Dotson under tight wraps, but he revealed that he was dating a woman from San Francisco. Fans assumed the woman was Dotson.
Mike Rowe and His Secret Girlfriend (2022)
In a 2021 interview with Kara Robinson, Rowe revealed that he had been in a long-term relationship with a woman for some time. He refused to give out any details as he wanted peace and quiet in their relationship. Rowe says his girlfriend has little or no interest in his work or fame, which helped to keep their relationship away from media attention. Rowe expressed his appreciation, saying his girlfriend is very independent, and he couldn’t be happier. Rowe stated that the only woman who could make him fall in love is someone who cares more about herself than pleasing her spouse.
Mike Rowe takes his privacy seriously. Very little is known, if any, about his personal life and relationships. His tendency to keep things private may have sprouted rumors about his sexuality. Since Mike Rowe doesn’t have children and doesn’t give out details about his love life, people desperate to know more started coming up with their personal views on the host’s sexual orientation.
Mike Rowe and “Dirty Jobs”
“Dirty Jobs” came to Mike Rowe as a concept for a TV show thanks to a news segment called “Somebody’s Gotta Do It.” After a graphic piece on cow artificial insemination, Rowe pitched the show idea to several networks, and Discovery Channel picked him up. “Dirty Jobs” features Rowe performing niche, disgusting, and occupational duties alongside the current employees. The show aired three pilot episodes in November 2003 and continued as a series in July 2005. It ran for eight seasons before ending in September 2012.
The show was refocused to feature Australia and was renamed “Dirty Jobs Down Under.” It produced a spin-off series, “Dirty Jobs: Rowe’d Trip,” and premiered in July 2020. The original show returned through a reboot and premiered in January 2022. In its airing, “Dirty Jobs” became one of the highest-rated shows on the Discovery Channel during the mid to late 2000s.
Is Mike Rowe Gay?
No, Mike Rowe is not gay. The Discovery Channel host has successfully kept his personal life out of public view. Rowe has not made any comments, official or unofficial, about his sexuality and his stand on homosexuality. There are no records of him expressing opinions directed towards the LGBTQ+ Community. He also hasn’t made any statements regarding genders and relationships.
Featured Image: “Mike Rowe”, by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region, licensed under CC BY 2.0 DEED