The former ‘Playboy’ model and the ‘Ghost Adventures’ star began dating in 2019

After years of speculation and subtle social media clues, Holly Madison has finally confirmed what many fans suspected: her relationship with Ghost Adventures star Zak Bagans has come to an end.

The once-private couple, who had quietly dated on and off since 2019, is officially over—and this time, it seems permanent.

In a recent interview, Holly opened up about the breakup with a rare level of candidness, revealing that she and Zak had parted ways some time ago, though they had kept the details out of the public eye.

The former Girls Next Door star, best known for her time as one of Hugh Hefner’s girlfriends at the Playboy Mansion, has come a long way from the glitzy life of reality TV.

These days, she’s a bestselling author, podcast host, and advocate for women’s empowerment—and she’s not afraid to talk about how hard real relationships can be.

Her romance with Zak began in 2019, shortly after Holly toured Zak’s famous Haunted Museum in Las Vegas. Friends said there was an instant connection, and they bonded over their shared love of the paranormal.

But unlike her previous high-profile relationships, this one was deliberately low-key. They never walked red carpets together, rarely posted about each other online, and generally kept their love out of the spotlight.

Still, fans picked up on subtle clues. Occasional birthday messages, cryptic Instagram Stories, and public sightings in Vegas made it clear that something meaningful was happening between the two.

And though they reportedly split once in 2021, they rekindled their relationship not long after. Now, Holly says it’s really over—but there’s no drama, no hard feelings, just a mutual decision to part ways.

The news may come as a surprise to fans who’ve followed Holly’s journey through love and heartbreak. Her past relationships have often played out publicly—first with Hugh Hefner during her years at the Mansion, and later with illusionist Criss Angel.

Her tumultuous experience with fame, control, and romance was laid bare in her 2015 memoir Down the Rabbit Hole, where she revealed the dark side of life behind the Playboy gates.

Since then, Holly has transformed herself from reality star to serious voice on issues surrounding women’s autonomy and emotional well-being.

Through her podcast Girls Next Level, she’s revisited her Playboy years with honesty and vulnerability, offering new context to an era that was once dismissed as glamorous and carefree.

As for Zak, he remains a beloved figure in the paranormal community. Known for his intense persona and passion for ghost hunting, Zak has built an empire through his long-running Travel Channel series Ghost Adventures.

His Haunted Museum in Vegas is a major tourist attraction, filled with allegedly cursed artifacts and macabre exhibits. But he’s also known for being fiercely private when it comes to his personal life.

That’s what made his connection with Holly so intriguing: two people from wildly different public images quietly choosing each other, away from the spotlight.

Their romance wasn’t for cameras or headlines—it seemed real, grounded, and surprisingly tender. That may be why it’s been so difficult for fans to accept its end.

Though Holly didn’t go into details about what caused the breakup, she did share that it was a thoughtful, mutual decision and that there is still “a lot of respect” between them.

“I’m in a good place,” she said, adding that she’s focusing on her work, her personal growth, and finding joy in this next chapter of her life.

She’s also been spending more time reflecting on love itself. In her podcast and recent public appearances, Holly has touched on how relationships evolve, especially when both people have strong, independent lives.

She’s not bitter or regretful—just honest about how difficult it can be to make things work, even when there’s love involved.

Interestingly, Zak has remained silent about the split, neither confirming nor denying it publicly. Those close to him say he’s been busy with new projects, including expanding his museum and filming upcoming episodes of Ghost Adventures.

He’s also dealing with some recent controversy over one of the haunted items in his collection, which allegedly affected a visitor’s health. For Zak, the spooky business never stops—but when it comes to love, he’s staying quiet.

Whether their paths will cross again romantically remains unknown, but for now, Holly is stepping into the spotlight once more, not as someone’s girlfriend, but as a woman in full control of her narrative. And as her fans know well, she’s no stranger to reinvention.

Breakups are never easy, especially when you’ve invested years into someone behind the scenes. But Holly Madison seems to be walking away from this one with clarity, peace, and a deeper understanding of who she is and what she wants next.

And for fans of both her and Zak, this may not be the fairy tale ending they hoped for—but it’s a real one.