Barbara Costello’s husband is Bill Costello, known to her followers as Mr. Babs. He appears in the family content surrounding Brunch with Babs, the cooking and homemaking account Barbara built with her daughter Elizabeth.
A September 2026 profile from Dear Media identifies Bill as her husband and describes Babs as a wife of 56 years. Their relationship began in high school, decades before viewers came to know either of them through social media.
| Detail | Publicly documented information |
|---|---|
| Name | Bill Costello |
| Known online as | Mr. Babs |
| Relationship to Barbara | Husband |
| How they met | In high school, according to Babs |
| Earlier career | Management with Bristol Myers, according to an original interview |
| Family | Four children |
| Marriage milestone | Described as 56 years in Dear Media’s September 2026 coverage |
How Did Barbara Costello Meet Her Husband?
Babs describes the beginning of their relationship in the introduction to Homemaking with Babs, which is shared on her publisher’s website. She says she met Bill in high school, married him five years later and started their family in Chicago.
They attended different schools. In a November 2025 interview with Bedford & New Canaan Magazine, Babs recalled attending Trinity while Bill attended Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Illinois. She also said he later graduated from Lewis University.
Her book’s account places their early relationship within the ordinary milestones that followed: getting married, raising children and moving as work and family life changed.
How Long Have Babs and Bill Been Married?
Dear Media’s September 2026 coverage described Barbara and Bill as married for 56 years. Her appearance on All on the Table with Katie Lee Biegel included a discussion of their long marriage alongside family life and her latest book.
In her book, Babs describes balancing her teaching and preschool work with running the home, with everyone in the family contributing. Their school romance became a family life shaped by jobs, children and moves between states.
What Did Barbara Costello’s Husband Do for Work?
Bill’s professional background includes a long career in management with Bristol Myers, according to Babs’ account in Bedford & New Canaan Magazine. The profile connects his work transfers with several of the family’s moves.
She recalled moving to Richmond, Virginia, with their first two children after a transfer. Later, Bill’s transfer to New York brought the family to Connecticut, where they settled in Ridgefield.
Those details describe his earlier working life. The interview does not establish a current job title or a retirement date.
Bill’s Public Role as “Mr. Babs”
As Barbara’s content expanded beyond recipes, viewers also saw more of her family. Dear Media’s recap describes her children, grandchildren and Bill becoming part of that public family life, with Bill appearing under the nickname Mr. Babs.
In an October 2, 2025 interview with Woman’s World, Babs discussed her husband beginning to post on social media himself. She said, “He will try anything,” and playfully suggested he could help make “grandpacore” a trend.
At the time of that interview, she said he had only one post and was working on more. That was an early snapshot of his own posting, alongside the appearances viewers already knew from her videos.
The Family Behind Brunch with Babs
Barbara and Bill raised four children. A May 2024 profile from Marquette University describes their family life in Connecticut, where Barbara founded and ran The Growing Tree preschool.
The same profile identifies Elizabeth Ariola as the daughter who encouraged her mother to try social media. It dates Babs’ first TikTok to April 7, 2020: a short video showing a Greek chicken and potatoes recipe. Elizabeth continued working behind the camera, filming and editing.
Within the account, Barbara shares her cooking, teaching and homemaking experience, while Elizabeth helps produce the content. Barbara Costello’s husband appears in the videos as Mr. Babs.
Barbara’s Homemaking with Babs, published on September 1, 2026, brings the household side of that story into book form. Its publisher describes advice drawn from the couple’s years of maintaining a home, from everyday routines to seasonal tasks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Barbara Costello married to?
She is married to Bill Costello, known online as Mr. Babs.
Is Mr. Babs Barbara Costello’s husband?
Yes. Mr. Babs is the nickname used for Bill in her family content and in interviews about Brunch with Babs.
What was Bill Costello’s career?
Babs described his earlier career as management with Bristol Myers in a November 2025 magazine interview. That account does not provide a current position.
How many children do Barbara and Bill Costello have?
They raised four children. Their daughter Elizabeth is also part of the Brunch with Babs content business.
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