Tabatha Coffey’s partner — All about Heather Schuster’s death

Tabatha Coffey is an Australian hairstylist who gained fame in 2007 on Shear Genius. Bravo rewarded Coffey with a television show dubbed Tabatha Takes Over. Coffey’s confrontational style polarized fans: you either disliked her or loved her – either way, you still tuned in to her show. 

Coffey left television for several years after Tabatha Takes Over ended in 2013. She returned for one season of Relative Success with Tabatha in 2018. Since then, Tabatha has become a mentor, inspiring young hairdressers to believe in their dreams and take the right steps to success. 

Tabatha has kept her love life secret, but we’ve known for a while that her partner was Heather Schuster. 

On 12th June 2022, Tabatha posted the following Lao Tzu quote on Instagram: “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”

In the caption, she revealed that the demise of her longtime partner, Heather Schuster, had broken her heart. Schuster and Tabatha had been together since 1995. 

“I am devastated and frankly lost,” Tabatha wrote. “I have so much love and admiration for the lessons I learned, the journey we shared and for having such an amazing woman and teacher in my life.”

Coffey said she didn’t know what the future held, but luckily, Schuster will be looking over her. “Whatever the future looks like, I know I have an angel by my side and lessons that have taught me strength and courage,” Tabatha continued.

Tabatha didn’t delve into Heather’s cause of death, only stating that she ‘lost her battle and gained her wings.’ It’s uncertain whether Tabatha will share more about Heather’s demise, given her refusal to share her private life. 

When The Advocate asked Tabatha whether she would star in a reality show about her private life, she said:

“Honestly, I don’t know who would want to watch a day in the life of Tabatha, but my personal life is my personal life, and I hold my friends, my family, and my loved ones very dear. They’re not hidden, but I also don’t feel they need to be exposed to everyone.”

Condolences have poured in from Tabatha’s fans and celebrities. @TraciL66 tweeted:

“Tabatha, I’m so sorry for your loss. Grief is a journey that changes us permanently. Please take it slowly and be easy on yourself. You’ve always been an inspiration for me. Know you’re in many thoughts and prayers.”

Coffey didn’t come out publicly because she didn’t see the need to. “I have never, ever hidden my sexuality, because to me being a lesbian is like having blue eyes,” Tabitha said. 

Tabitha told the outlet that she saw no value in parading her sexuality at every instance. She wouldn’t lie about her identity but wouldn’t bring it up unnecessarily. Coffey said:

“I didn’t need to walk around the competition every two seconds, going, “Look at me! I’m a lesbian!” And I never made a conscious decision to come out to the press because that’s just who I am. If people asked me a question, I’d just try to answer it honestly and to the best of my ability.”