The stars of Sister Wives gathered for the eagerly anticipated season 16 tell-all, giving Kody Brown and each of his spouses, Meri, Janelle, Christine and Robyn Brown, an opportunity to share their sides of the story in one-on-one interviews.
Host Sukanya Krishnan left no stone unturned during the TLC special, which aired on Sunday, January 30, asking some of the biggest questions on fans’ minds.
Several hot topics were addressed, including how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the polygamous family and their 18 combined children, as well as Kody’s strained relationships with both Christine, 49, and Meri, 51, that were further impacted by the brood’s strict quarantining guidelines at the time.
“There’s a real conscious effort that needed to be made to get together and continue those common experiences, and we just weren’t doing it,” Janelle, 52, explained about what caused a further divide in their plural family.
While reflecting on their previous living arrangement in Las Vegas, Nevada, Kody, 53, noted they had started to lead their own lives following their relocation to Arizona. “Moving to Flagstaff separated us,” he admitted.
Christine also talked about feeling like an outsider in her family as producers showed a throwback scene of the ladies discussing their tense dynamic.
The reality star said her fears about being “hated” by her loved ones could have been “internal” but admitted she “hesitated” before family gatherings.
“Kody and I had been having such a rough time for so long,” Christine continued, noting it was hard to watch him be “incredible” in other relationships while struggling in their own.
Just before season 16 premiered on TLC, Christine and Kody announced their split in separate statements on social media.
“After more than 25 years together, Kody and I have grown apart and I have made the difficult decision to leave,” she wrote in November 2021. “We will continue to be a strong presence in each other’s lives as we parent our beautiful children and support our wonderful family. At this time, we ask for your grace and kindness as we navigate through this stage within our family.”
“Christine’s decision to leave comes with a great deal of sadness,” Kody shared in his own statement at the time. “We enjoyed many years together and I have a large amount of respect and admiration for her. Although we are moving forward on different paths, we will always remain committed parents.”
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