What Jen and Brandon Hatmaker from HGTV Have Said About Their Divorce

The 2020 separation and subsequent divorce of HGTV couple Jen and Brandon Hatmaker sent shockwaves through their lives.

Jen, known for her role on Your Big Family Renovation, shocked her followers in July 2020 when she announced that her family was “navigating a moment without a handbook and no idea how to do so privately, let alone publicly,” after 26 years of marriage to Brandon. (They married in 1993 and share five adult children: Beth, Ben, Gavin, Remy, and Caleb.)

“We are real people dealing with this in our real lives, and we are doing our best,” she shared on Instagram at the time.

In her memoir, Awake, released in 2025, Jen claimed that her marriage ended after discovering Brandon’s affair. Brandon issued a public apology in September 2025, stating he would no longer provide details about his infidelity to move forward. (He married Tina in December 2023, while Jen has since been in a long-term relationship with author and activist Tyler Merritt.)

Keep reading for a summary of what Jen and Brandon have shared regarding their divorce.

Divorce Announcement

Jen took to Instagram to announce her and Brandon’s decision to divorce, describing it as “completely unexpected.”

“Brandon and I are getting divorced. Though the details are ours alone, this was completely unexpected, and I remain in shock as I write. I am devastated, grief-stricken, and heartbroken,” she wrote. “Hold us in your hearts. We have felt your prayers over the last few weeks. Your kindness has been overwhelming. Please help protect our privacy as we try to heal and rebuild.”

Jen filed for divorce in August 2020 in Hays County, Texas. They did not disclose a reason for their split at the time.

Moving On

Jen posted two photos on Instagram — one taken just after her split from Brandon and another two years later — to illustrate her journey.

“I took this picture … nearly two years ago on August 6th, just a day before my birthday. At that time, no one knew I was getting divorced; only that something was severely wrong, and I had been absent from socials due to a crisis,” she shared about the first photo.

Jen confessed she could hardly look at the 2020 picture without remembering the pain of her divorce.

“I was so incredibly sad. I have never felt such sadness before or since,” she reflected. “My face tells the story of the sorrow, shock, loss, and grief I never wanted to endure. I felt as if I were at the ocean’s depths.”

The former HGTV host described the later photo as evidence that “everything [she] stated in her split announcement proved true.”

“What we build in our lives shines through when everything falls apart. Every ounce of hope, love, and faith accumulates and multiplies,” she advised. “Cling to the good things that deserve your fight. Keep striving for what is right and beautiful.”

She continued, “Unintentionally, you will create a sturdy shelter that will protect you during life’s storms. When they pass, you may find yourself smiling from a place of healed joy two years later.”

Rebuilding Life

While promoting her podcast “For the Love” on the Tamron Hall Show, Jen opened up about her divorce like never before, admitting to host Tamron Hall that she feared her life was over after her split from Brandon.

“I was at the ocean’s bottom. Everything felt dark and hopeless,” she admitted. “I thought, ‘My life is ruined; I’ll never find happiness again.’ I believed it then.”

Jen explained, “I simply couldn’t imagine a life outside the one I had curated. I was married for 26 years with five kids.”

Though she initially felt lost, Jen grew to realize that it was “possible” to create a fulfilling life beyond her marriage.

“I would describe the journey as slow. It doesn’t happen overnight, and there’s no formula,” she advised viewers. “I wished for a formula … but it’s about taking one day at a time, one step at a time.”

Affair Allegation

In her memoir, Awake, Jen shared allegations of Brandon’s infidelity. She told The New York Post that she overheard him whispering late at night in July 2020 and came to suspect an affair.

“I almost disassociated,” she recalled. “It was so far from what I ever thought could happen in our life and marriage.”

After discovering what she called a “trail of betrayal” on Brandon’s computer, Jen worried about facing “financial chaos” because he allegedly purchased “lavish gifts” for another woman.

“It was so shocking and overwhelming that I couldn’t even process it. I didn’t know if I would ever be happy again,” she reflected. “I thought we were genuinely trying to repair things with marriage counseling, but we weren’t.”

She further stated, “There were many unexplained absences, and his phone was always close to him. The warning signs were there, but I didn’t want to face them.”

Brandon’s Response

Brandon broke his silence regarding the infidelity on his blog, explaining that he initially refrained from defending himself for fear of coming off as excusing his actions.

“With Jen’s book release, it has stirred up quite a bit. Many of you are new to our story and are hearing things anew through articles and interviews,” he wrote. “I’ve noticed statements that present only part of the story, leaving it to the audience to interpret the rest.”

The founder of Austin New Church admitted there were “no excuses” for his affair but suggested that the situation was more nuanced than what Jen portrayed.

“I didn’t wake up one day planning to have an affair. My love didn’t dissipate overnight,” he insisted. “Our love was gradually fading, and I mourned our marriage’s decline long before our divorce.”

He emphasized that he understands the repercussions of his actions, stating, “This isn’t about making excuses. It’s about adding context to areas many, especially new followers, might overlook.”

Brandon acknowledged that Jen had “every right to share her perspective,” and he did not fault her for doing so.

“While there are truths omitted that create a misleading narrative, I am not saying her claims are untrue,” he concluded. “What lies unsaid is my responsibility to convey.”

Remarriage Timeline

On his blog, Brandon outlined the timeline of his relationship with his current wife, Tina, in order to dispel rumors that she was his “affair partner.”

“I must clarify that Tina was not my affair partner. She had no involvement in my divorce in 2020,” he expressed on Substack. “According to Jen, we had never met until after the divorce was filed. This was subsequent to her stating she could not reconnect.”

Brandon clarified that he became exclusive with Tina only after finalizing his divorce from Jen.

“Jen and I took time to finalize the divorce for mutually agreed reasons, not for any potential reconciliation. It was her suggestion to delay, and I agreed,” he detailed. “For those who think I remarried too quickly … Tina and I got engaged two years later in July 2022 and married that December. To be clear, she may have literally saved my life.”

‘Sexual Shame’

Jen discussed the “sexual shame” from her evangelical background on the “Jamie Kern Lima Show” podcast, recalling that both she and Brandon brought this into their marriage. As a teenager, Jen attended a church “sex education” class where she and other girls were told their sexuality should remain “pure” for their husbands.

“That moment marked the first time a spiritual authority suggested that I was the problem, that my body was a problem, and that I was responsible for not just my purity but also for the boys’ behavior. That mindset has lingered into my 50s,” she remembered.

Jen humorously remarked that she and Brandon “tainted the story” before their wedding, implying they hadn’t saved themselves for that night.

“We entered our relationship laden with guilt and secrets because we weren’t permitted to discuss such matters honestly,” she reflected. “This internal suppression is incredibly corrosive.”

Closing the Book

In a follow-up blog, Brandon shared that he addressed “speculation and misinformation” about his divorce in hopes of finding “healing and hope.”

“I also understand that dwelling on the past doesn’t lead to healing,” he stated. “From now on, I won’t delve into those details anymore. I have said what was necessary, and it’s time to turn the page.”

Brandon expressed gratitude to those who offered “empathy and understanding” amidst the accusations against him.

“Your support means more than you can imagine,” he said. “The future looks bright, and I look forward to discussing topics that inspire life, hope, and healing.”