Joanna and Chip Gaines Get Real About ‘Challenging’ Parts of Their Marriage

Chip and Joanna Gaines have built an empire out of their reality TV business, leading them to create their Magnolia Network, which will launch on July 15. With their great responsibility and the closeness of the couple’s work/personal relationship, there’s sure to have been some stresses in their relationship. However, Chip promises the Fixer Upper hosts are committed to working through the more “challenging” parts of their relationship.

“Things have definitely been challenging, we’re not perfect, we have issues and trials and errors like anybody,” Chip told Access Hollywood while promoting the new network, but “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.”

“Our superpower is that Jo and I are not quitters,” Chip continued, referring to their business and marriage. “So somehow that little foundation has served us well. In fairness, I would admit if we considered that along that way, but relationally we’re in it forever. This will never be [in] a gossip mag that we don’t make it.” Chip and Joanna have been together for 18 years and share five kids together: Drake, 15; Ella Rose, 13; Duke, 11; Emmie Kay, 10; and Crew, 1.

After all their years together, the couple faced a new change in their relationship when husband Chip decided to grow his hair out. Chip’s golden hair now hangs down to his shoulders, which a major difference from his normal look. Luckily, the new locks seem to be going over well with the girls. “My girls really do like his hair and his hair is now longer than Ella’s,” Joanna told the outlet. “It’s this wild free, adventurous side which is huge, so I think matches his personality.” The reason behind the change was due to Chip’s bucket list. “I’ve never had long hair, so for me, I’ve had all these odd bucket lists that I want to say before I die and long hair was one of them,” Chip said.