Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson captivated America with their reality series “Newlyweds” in 2003. But how did their relationship end?
When we talk about reality TV nowadays, it’s straightforward for the Kardashians to come to mind. Kim and her famous mother and sisters helped revolutionalize reality series and how lucrative they can be.
However, before their series debuted and became well-known, there was one reality series that held the attention of Americans like “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” did. Spearheaded by MTV, “Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica” dominated the air when it aired in 2013.
In the middle of this series stood the titular characters Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson. Two young adults had their first year of marriage documented on tape and fed to their dedicated audience, who grazed on every ounce of the series.
During its original airing, producers didn’t expect the series to be a hit, but with an audience of 2.4-2.7 million per week, it became the most-watched Tv among viewers between the ages of 12 and 34.
Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson became one of the most famous couples of the 20 due to the series.
Who Were Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey Before Their Marriage?
On July 10, 1980, Jessica Simpson was born in Dallas, Texas. Her father, Joe Simpson, a Baptist minister, and mother, Tina, raised Jessica and her sister Ashlee in a very Christian household.
She began singing at her father’s church at five years of age and developed an interest in acting. She auditioned for “The New Mickey Mouse Club” at 12 but sadly didn’t get picked.
Nonetheless, Jessica continued singing, including during church camps. On the back of one of such appearances, she got signed by a Christian record label “CCM.” Sadly the record label folded before her debut album could be released.
After graduating from Pearce High School in 1998, her father, Joe, became her manager, while her mother, Tina, became her stylist. In 1999 she finally released her debut album “Sweet Kisses,” which sold more than two million copies.
Meanwhile, Nick Lachey was born on November 9, 1973, in Harlan, Kentucky. His father, John Lachey, was a pharmacist, and his mother, Cate Fopma-Leimbach, worked as a substance abuse program coordinator. After graduation, he attended the University of Southern California before transferring to Miami University in Ohio.
While at the university, he started singing with a local band called “The Avenues” in Cincinnati. The summer before his senior year of college, Nick dropped out of Miami University and moved to Los Angeles to join a vocal group at the invitation of his friend Jeff Timmons.
Afterward, Nick, his younger brother, Drew, Jeff, and another friend Justin Jeffre formed the music group 98 Degrees in 1995. A year later, the group rose to fame when they tried crashing the backstage area of Boys II Men.
Soon after the incident, they found a manager, Paris d’Jon, and subsequently signed a record deal with Motown. Their self-titled debut album went gold, and the follow-up “98 Degrees and Rising” went multi-platinum.
How Did Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey’s Romance Begin?
In 1998 a year before Jessica’s debut album release, she met Nick at the Hollywood Christmas Parade. The former instantly felt attracted to her and reportedly looked the crowd for Jessica all night.
A month later, the pair hooked up at a Teen People party in Florida. Their relationship became serious, and once back in Los Angeles, they began dating. The couple even bought condos two stories apart from each other.
Surprisingly in 2001, two years into their romance Jessica broke things off with Nick to focus on releasing her second album “Irresistible.” Also, she wanted to date other guys and experience new things.
Getting Back Together and Marriage
The 9/11 terror attacks in New York jagged Jessica back to reality and made her realize she wanted Nick back in her life. So, just months after their initial breakup, Jessica and Nick got back together.
In February 2002, Nick chartered a yacht in Hawaii and proposed to Jessica as the sun set on the pacific, and she immediately agreed to marry him.
Much later, when she recalled the incident, Jessica explained she would have dressed up if she knew Nick would propose instead of a huge sweatshirt that came down to her knees. Nonetheless, the couple tied the knots in October 2002 in Austin, Texas.
The couple had their wedding ceremony with about 350 guests, recorded and televised on VH1’s “All Access Celebrity Weddings” special in 2003. Jessica, 22 years old, stayed a virgin until her wedding night.
In her 2020 memoir “Open Book,” Jessica later wrote that no one else deserved her virginity more than Nick. She also told “Blender Magazine” that her wedding night was the most amazing moment in her life. She felt grateful for not losing her virginity till then.
Their Reality Show “Newlyweds” Premiered on MTV
After their marriage, Jessica and Nick signed a deal with MTV for the reality show “Newlyweds: Nick and Lachey.” Jessica’s father, who also acted as her manager, sold Mtv on the idea of filming his daughter and her new husband during the first years of their marriage.
The show debuted in 2003, and it quickly became a fan favorite. It raised the profile of both Jessica and Nick, propelling them into fame. Fans watched as the couple who had never lived together before their nuptials struggled to cope with each other.
Nick struggled with keeping the house clean as opposed to Jessica, who just left her things hanging anywhere. Speaking about their struggles, Jessica admitted it’s been challenging and compared herself to a baby who constantly needed taking care of.
During an interview with “Rolling Stone,” Jessica declared she believed Nick and her would lasy forever, and even if they didn’t, their marriage would make a good reality tv show.
Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey Divorce
In 2005 after three years of marriage, the couple released a statement to announce they were parting ways. In a statement reported by “People Magazine,” they wrote:
“After three years of marriage, and careful thought and consideration, we have decided to part ways. This is the mutual decision of two people with an enormous amount of respect and admiration for each other. We hope that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.”
Surprisingly Jessica took the step to divorce Nick. She had the divorce paper filed on December 16, 2006, in a Los Angeles Superior Court. At the time, Jessica had already moved into a new mansion in Beverly Hills, and the house she once shared with Nick had gone on sale.
On his part, Nick revealed that he was unaware that Jessica wanted a divorce until she blindsided him with the news after dinner in November 2015. Also, the couple signed no prenuptial agreement before their marriage, so Jessica had to pay her ex-husband $12 million to leave him.
Where Are They Now?
In 2010 four years after they finalized their divorce, Jessica and Nick got engaged to different people within days. On November 4, Nick got engaged to former “TRL” host Vanessa Minnillo. The pair had started dating in 2006 after she appeared in his “What’s Left of Me” music video.
On the other hand, Jessica announced her engagement to football player Eric Johnson ten days after Nick announced his. She and Eric got married in 2014 and are now parents to three kids Maxwell, Ace, and Birdie.
Meanwhile, Nick married Vanessa in 2011, and the couple has since welcomed three kids, Camden, Brooklyn, and Phoenix.