‘Fixer Upper’ Stars Chip And Joanna Gaines On Their Rise To Fame And Their Haters: ‘Nothing Has Been Easy’

Chip and Joanna Gaines have had a lot of success since Fixer Upper premiered on HGTV four years ago. While the couple is currently filming for Season 5 of their hit renovation show, they recently admitted their rise to fame wasn’t always easy.

In an interview with People, the Fixer Upper stars credit their hard work to their success on television. The two met back in 2001 and struggled to make a living by flipping houses. Their luck changed after they landed Season 1 of their reality show, and they haven’t looked back since.

“Nothing has come easy,” Chip shared. “We’ve worked so hard to have this beautiful family and this farm – it really does seem like the American dream you heard about growing up.”

With Fixer Upper heading into its fifth year, the show is currently one of HGTV’s most popular to date. Their wealth isn’t solely tied to the reality series. The couple also owns and operates their retail estate, Magnolia Market at the Silos, which attracts thousands of fans every week. They have a line of home products they endorse, a magazine, a real estate company, a restaurant, and a best-selling book.

Speaking of their business ventures, Today reports that Chip and Joanna are currently gearing up for their new restaurant in Waco, called Magnolia Table. The two purchased a restaurant called the Elite Café and plan on turning it into a breakfast eatery that specializes in classic food. This includes a selection of butters and jams, a ham sandwich, eggs Benedict, a few homemade pies, and a burger.

Although Chip and Joanna are enjoying a lot of success on and off their show, they like to keep things simple. In fact, the two remain focused on raising their four children – Drake, 12; Ella, 10; Duke, 9; and Emmie, 7 – and keeping their marriage intact.

“Jo and I both made a commitment pretty early on that the two of us are the most important variable,” Chip explained. “If we can figure out how to be right as a couple, then obviously we have a lot better opportunity to be right for our kids.”

According to Romper, Chip met Joanna at her father’s tire repair shop in Waco. Chip noticed a picture of Joanna in her father’s office and slyly kept bringing his car in for repairs until he met her. Chip immediately hit it off with Joanna, and they tied the knot two years later. Although they experienced a few hard times, their marriage is stronger than ever.

The new season of Fixer Upper is expected to premiere later this year on HGTV.

[Featured Image by HGTV]