Patrick Duffy and Linda Purl spent hours on Zoom getting to know each other

He told Closer Weekly: "We Zoomed every single night for at least two to three hours. So we explored all our history, our past, our loves. We listened to music together and covered all that ground you normally cover over months of dating.”

"You get to a point where you think, ‘It’s all about her. How do I get her to smile?’ We’ve eliminated all the trials and errors that happen in [younger] relationships. It’s all positive and lovely.”

However, Patrick - who lives in California - admitted the real test for their relationship came when he and Colorado-based Linda quarantined together in Vancouver for the movie 'Doomsday Mom: The Lori Vallow Story'.

He said: "It was a time to really get to know one another with no outside influences to encumber you. We found out that we’re aiming in the same direction.

“To look forward to every moment you can be with somebody is a real gift in a relationship. I am stunned every time that I see this amazing woman loves me. It’s just like, wow!"

Linda added: "Life is full of surprises, both good and bad. Patrick and I weren’t looking for this. We didn’t expect it or see it coming when our paths crossed. Don’t ever give up."

Patrick's wife Carlyn Rosser died four years ago and he previously insisted he wasn't actively looking for a relationship when he was reintroduced to Linda.

However, he's now convinced that their burgeoning romance is the result of "fate".

Patrick - who was married to Carlyn from 1974 until her death in 2017 -

said: "I wasn’t looking for it. I didn’t feel I needed it … and then fate just went ‘swoosh!’ and changed the perspective."