Fixer Upper’s Dark Downers: The Hidden Secrets Behind the Hit TV Show

Chip and Joanna Gaines are now a very successful couple and real estate experts, but before they were on the TV show, they were actually having a really hard time with money. They had no money, so the show came at exactly the right time for them. But this was not the end of their troubles. Chip Gaines didn't preciselybehave honorably when he cut his two business partners out of his real estate business without telling them about the upcoming show to keep all the money for himself. They sued him for $1 million, but Chip said they hadn't contacted him for years until the show became a huge success. This wasn't the only controversy Chip and Joanna Gaines found themselves in because of the show. Even though Fixer Upper features a different couple in every episode, they never showed any LGBTQ couples or families on the show. Some people felt that this was a sign of discrimination… and more information came out to support this. The show's premise is that the homeowners are given a free renovation, but Fixer Upper doesn't pay for everything. In fact, the homeowners often have to pay for a lot of it themselves! In fact, potential contestants on the show are advised to have at least $50,000 in their budget. Even more, if possible! Another great thing about the home renovations on the popular show Fixer Upper is the beautiful furniture that is displayed in the finished houses. But the truth is that most of this furniture is just for show. The sofas and curtains are taken away at the end of filming, so the people living in the house are left without any furniture! It makes sense that the Gaines would want a break from filming their hit show. But being on TV is hard work. It's not just the long hours and effort but also all the drama and problems they keep getting into. They were even sued a few times, including by a Magnolia Market neighbour over a heated argument about parking. When you watch the show, you'd think they'd live in their dream home. But many of them don't live there once the show is over. Instead, they rent it out to tenants who are fans of the show! The Gaines family is very annoyed by this. Instead of congratulating the Gaines family on the new arrival, fans and the media criticized them even more when they heard the news. They spread rumors that the couple only had another baby to try and fix their problems, not because they wanted it. They were sued again, this time for more than $12,000 of debt. Many fans and acquaintances of the Gaineses were already aware that they sometimes got a little too relaxed about money matters. So it probably wasn't a huge shock when they found out that they were being sued for not paying their taxes. The New York Post reported that Joanna Gaines tried to charge $150,000 per hour to sit on her OWN deposition. Fixer Upper is the most popular show on HGTV, and Property Brothers is the second most popular. The shows are very competitive, and Chip and Joanna have been in the news because of an alleged feud with the Property Brothers—Jonathan and Drew Scott. The New York Times reported that the Scotts said the Gaineses were offered a guest appearance on Property Brothers, but they turned it down. However, Drew Scott denied that there is any bad feeling between them. He told Fox News, "We're one big family, which is why we love bringing in to judge us… We know a lot of the talent really well…we've met once or twice. They were really nice." Like many house-hunting shows, the homeowners have already chosen a home they want to buy before the cameras even start rolling. Fixer Upper was a very popular show. It was on for five seasons and ended in April 2018. But the show has had a few spinoffs, including Fixer Upper: Behind the Design, which ran for one season, and Fixer Upper: Welcome Home, which started in January 2021 and is still running. Fixer Upper: Welcome Home is a relaunch of Fixer Upper and it airs on the Magnolia Network. It shows Chip and Joanna turning old houses into beautiful homes while growing their business and family.