Sam Milby says he knew that Catriona Gray is “The One” for him because they’re not just lovers, but also best friends.
This was how he described his relationship with Catriona weeks before he announced that they are getting married.
Sam and Catriona made their engagement known on February 16, 2023.
Their post on Instagram showing the official photos from their engagement shoot was one of the rare occasions where they gave a glimpse of how they are as a couple.
But it appears that there’s trouble in paradise.
A year after the engagement, speculation is rife that Sam and Catriona have called it quits.
In this timeline, PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) traces how their relationship began, the engagement, and what’s happening now that their road to forever seems to be on pause.
SAM MILBY AND CATRIONA GRAY: THE FIRST SIGHTING
It was in December 2018 when Sam and Catriona were spotted together at a farm in Tanay, Rizal.
The photos that circulated online showed that the two were accompanied by Catriona’s father Ian Gray.
At the time, Catriona was newly crowned as Miss Universe 2018 and was in Manila for a quick Christmas break before she returned to her Miss Universe duties.
That she was seen spending time with Sam made people wonder if they are an item.
While he was not yet handling her showbiz career at the time, Erickson already took on the role as her business manager.
Erickson explained that he owns the farm and it was he who invited Sam and Catriona to come visit his place.
It was also Erickson who told PEP.ph that the two personalities belong to the same church and Bible study group.
It was not yet known at that time that Catriona had broken up with her long-time boyfriend Clint Bondad.
The following month, on February 22, 2019, Catriona revealed in a TV interview that she and Clint are over, but that she intends to remain single during her Miss Universe reign.
WHAT CATRIONA INITIALLY SAID ABOUT SAM
The very first time Catriona was asked if Sam is courting her was when she did a TV interview in December 2019.
All she said was that they go to the same church and that they are “under the same management” which is why they know each other.
Then that was it.
For the whole year of 2019, and even the first few months of 2020, there was no news about her going back to the dating scene.
There were talks that she and Sam had been spotted together sometime in mid-2020, but no photos of them together came out in public.
Then on Sam’s 36th birthday on May 23, 2020, he went public about his relationship with Catriona.
Their status became “Instagram official” when he posted a picture of him and Catriona on his Instagram feed.
The photo showed him giving Catriona a kiss on the forehead.
His sweet caption read: “Worth every second of the wait. Most special birthday yet.”
A day before that, he did a Facebook Live interview where he got a surprise video greeting from Catriona.
When his celebrity friends teased him about it, Sam admitted that he feels “kilig” over Catriona’s unexpected message for him.
Then he admitted that he has “very special feelings” for Catriona.
Sam and Catriona kept a tight lid on their relationship.
But in the few occasions that the press would get to talk to Sam, he would say that he sees Catriona as wife material.
On August 7, 2020, he told entertainment reporters, “I do believe she’s the one, yes.”
Then he also pointed out that because of their nine-year age gap, he wouldn’t rush Catriona into getting married since she’s still establishing her career in showbiz.