Beyond its modern farmhouse charm, part of the allure of “Fixer Upper” was Chip and Joanna Gaines’ chemistry. Chip’s goofiness balanced Joanna’s down-to-business attitude, offering a perfect blend of professionalism with spiritedness. However, fans of the former HGTV stars have noticed signs that Chip and Joanna’s marriage may be on the rocks. The home reno duo has faced divorce rumors since “Fixer Upper” ended in 2018, but they’ve intensified this year. A recent post of a family vacation only added fuel to the fire.
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The Instagram post came on the heels of Joanna’s Father’s Day tribute that raised red flags. Joanna snubbed Chip, adding fuel to troubled marriage whispers. That’s right, Chip, the father of Joanna’s five kids, received no mention at all on her Father’s Day post. Instead, she celebrated just her own father. “To an amazing girl dad, husband, grandfather, friend, businessman and a hippie at heart — you have taught us so much,” she wrote, adding: “Your steadiness, kindness, faith, empathy, and love has marked us—thank you for loving us so well. We love you!!”
Fans believe Chip and Joanna were growing apart toward the end of “Fixer Upper.” When they returned with the 2022 mini-series, “Fixer Upper: The Castle,” viewers noted a difference in their interactions. “Their relationship is almost unrecognizable … Watching the castle, it’s like you’re watching a couple that’s trying not to argue in front of the kids and really can’t stand each other,” one Reddit user noted. Their most recent trip doesn’t help their case.
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Joanna and Chip Gaines acted awkward on family vacation
On June 24, Joanna Gaines shared a video on Instagram featuring the highlights from a recent trip to Universal Studios Hollywood. While the bulk of it focused on their children, the clip included a few snippets of Joanna and Chip. In one, seen above, Joanna stood awkwardly still as Chip planted a quick kiss on her cheek before flashing an uncomfortable-looking smile. Another showed them sitting next to each other, looking similarly distant.
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Besides, the trip was sponsored, so it wasn’t a natural family trip. “We’re fixing up @joannagaines and @chipgaines with the perfect day!” Universal Studios Hollywood noted on its page. The whole thing just felt a bit forced. She did, however, include her husband in her caption. Crew was sure he was living in a dream and didn’t want to wake up. “Chip was trying to mind over matter motion sickness,” she laughed, which was illustrated by footage of Chip looking rather focused on a ride.
Whether there’s definite trouble in Joanna and Chip’s paradise is unclear. In the past, they have made a big deal about how serious they are about their marriage vows. “Our superpower is that, Jo and I are not quitters,” Chip told Access in 2021. “Throwing in the towel is not something that honestly ever even comes to mind and I would say that it happened pretty early on in our relationship. We just thought that it’s interesting that divorce and leaving one another is not really an option for us.”
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