Warning Signs in Julie and Todd Chrisley’s Marriage That Are Difficult to Overlook

Julie and Todd Chrisley’s romance started as an affair — at least according to their previous spouses. In a red flag they may share with Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater, both parties have been married before, and Julie’s ex-sister-in-law Kellie Adair claimed to Radar Online there was supposedly overlap between Julie’s first husband, Kenneth Wayne Childress, and Todd. “Kenny and Julie were high school sweethearts. Kenny was married to Julie when she started seeing Todd,” she purported. Todd was also accused of having affair with Julie by his ex-wife Teresa Terry, as she told Radar Online she supposedly had proof of their extra-marital dalliances.

Terry told Daily Mail she and Todd Chrisley split in 1994, adding that he didn’t waste time tying the knot again once he was declared legally single. Julie and Todd wed just one month after his and Terry’s divorce was finalized in 1996. Todd has also been very vocal about how he knew he wanted to be with his second wife from their first meeting. “I knew that I was in love with her the moment she walked into my friend’s house: That’s the first night that I met her. And the moment she walked in the room, it’s the only time before and since that anything had ever taken my breath, other than when I walked past a mirror,” he joked to Us Weekly, though it’s not clear where his relationship with Terry stood at the time.

The Chrisley family haven’t publicly confirmed the affair claims, but if true, that could be a red flag. A 2017 study suggested that a person who has cheated in a past relationship is three times more likely to cheat on another partner compared to someone who has been faithful.

Speaking of cheating, the start of Todd Chrisley’s relationship with Julie Chrisley doesn’t mark the only time he’s been accused of stepping out. In 2022, Todd’s ex-business partner Mark Braddock claimed in court during the couple’s fraud trial that he and Todd allegedly had a year-long affair in the early 2000s (during his marriage to Julie) and they remained friends for 12 years after.

But Todd was quick to clap back at the claims, unlike the many celebs who have admitted to cheating on their partners. Speaking on his now defunct “Chrisley Confessions” podcast, he denied having a romantic relationship with Braddock. “What’s insulted me the most is that, out of all these 54 years, for me to finally be accused of being with a man, it would be someone who looked like Mark Braddock,” he said (via Daily Mail). The reality star added, “[He’s] a toad. Someone that looks like a thumb,” and threw doubt on the claims by stating Braddock’s story had not remained consistent. “‘That is the one thing that is the most insulting. To say that I couldn’t pull something better than that… there’s better to be had by Todd Chrisley than that,” he added.

Though Todd vehemently denied the allegations, if he did step out on his wife, it would be a sign of problems in their relationship. “Typically, people cheat due to unresolved emotional issues within themselves or due to inability to communicate and operate with integrity in a relationship,” Nicole Moore, a celebrity relationship expert and “Love Works” podcast host, told Women.com exclusively while speaking on Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s relationship red flags.

Todd Chrisley has had some serious allegations levied against him by his former wife. In 2014, Teresa Terry told Daily Mail she made a domestic violence complaint against Todd in 1994 and accused him of alleged abuse on more than one occasion. She also claimed Todd wanted her to always present herself a certain way. “I like to put on a ball cap, put my hair in a ponytail and go out. But with him your hair always had to be fixed and you had to be dressed to the tens. I grew tired of being constantly corrected and I would run my mouth,” she said. Terry also claimed to Radar Online there was a time Todd was ordered to stay 1,000 meters away from her because of his behavior. Todd’s team denied the allegations though, retorting, “[He] vehemently and categorically denies [treating Teresa] cruelly.”

However, if there is any truth to Terry’s allegations, that should be a far from a green flag for Julie Chrisley. Abuse allegations are extremely serious and, although people can learn from their past mistakes and work on themselves to do better, if Todd has shown any signs of the behavior Terry accused him of, she must prioritize her own safety and well-being.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

Being apart from a partner, particularly a spouse, can be incredibly tough. But being away from them, behind bars, and unable to communicate effectively? That’s even tougher. According to Radar Online, Julie Chrisley and Todd Chrisley weren’t allowed to speak on the phone during their prison stints, despite being in different institutions. A source told the outlet in early 2024 that the couple hadn’t spoken in more than a year, something Savannah Chrisley confirmed on “The Adversity Advantage” podcast. “When you look at our prison system and they like to say, ‘Oh, we pride ourselves on trying to keep families together.’ We don’t do that at all, because my parents, they have not gotten to speak to each other on the phone,” she said. “It has been a year and they have been together for 30 years and they have not gotten to speak to each other.” She confirmed they’d emailed each other, but noted, “Emails are delayed. You never know if they’re going to get ’em. You just don’t know and they can’t send mail via the postal service.”

That may become a red flag outside of prison walls, as going over a year without the ability so speak directly to one another could have a serious impact on their relationship and ability to communicate. The two may have fallen into different patterns than the other is used to, which could change their dynamics post-prison.

Julie Chrisley and Todd Chrisley haven’t been able to escape rumors claiming their relationship is a sham. In 2017, Radar Online claimed an employee at the USA Network, which aired the couple’s reality show “Chrisley Knows Best,” accused their romance of being for show. “It is hard for anyone who works with Todd or Julie to believe that their marriage is authentic. It’s made for TV. They do not display the same level of affection and love towards each other off-camera as they do when they are filming,” they said. The insider even claimed of the couple, “[They live] completely separate lives!”

Around the same time, a USA Network production source also claimed to Radar Online, “[They] can barely even tolerate each other.” However, they denied the two would ever divorce. “Todd and Julie will never split. They both need each other to keep up this image that they have the perfect family,” they said.

The duo didn’t appear to address the allegations publicly, though Todd’s lawyer has admitted not everything fans saw on “Chrisley Knows Best” was authentic. His attorney Bruce Morris said during one the twosome’s court hearings in 2022 (via Business Insider), “Some of it is real, and some of it is not.” Bruce Morris stated that the Chrisley family’s close bond was real, though the multiple showmance allegations are certainly eyebrow raising.