There's no denying that there are a whole slew of false rumors that everyone believes about Ben Napier and Erin Napier, regardless of how often they've been disproven. One major rumor is that the pair are gearing up to call it quits, although Erin vehemently shot down divorce speculation in July 2025 with a strongly worded post on social media. No matter what the pair do or say, it's hard to keep the rumor mill from grinding away, and with their popular roles as HGTV stars, the heat from the media spotlight
is always going to be blistering.
However, even though many of the baseless claims about the couple have been debunked, that doesn't mean there aren't quite a few odd things about their relationship. From their youthful college-age romance to how the pair have interwoven their lives together, to the way Erin has gushed about Ben, there are several red flags in their marriage. One thing that could become an issue for the seemingly happy couple is that they don't seem to have separate lives as individuals.
Erin and Ben sat down with Entertainment Tonight in April 2023 for an interview together (as nearly all their interviews seem to be), and reflected on their close-knit bond. "We're never apart. ... We've formed our adult identities around each other. This is the only way we know how to be grownups," Erin said, as Ben added, "We totally get that not everybody functions that way, but we do, and it's the only way we can."
Read more: Why Christina Haack Was Never The Same After Divorcing Ant Anstead
Ben And Erin Napier's Romance Began When They Were Young And Moved Fast
Long before the pair were married with two daughters and were successful HGTV stars, Ben Napier and Erin Napier were students at Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Mississippi. The pair hit it off in December 2004 when Erin sat down to interview Ben for the college yearbook, as she recalled in a blog post in December 2010. She had already had a crush on him, and their connection was immediate. Erin was 19 at the time and Ben was 21, but their romance blossomed immediately.
Now, it's not impossible for two people to find love at first sight. However, for Ben and Erin, their romance was nothing short of a whirlwind and they've even admitted that they decided on tying the knot within the first week of dating. Speaking with Qolture in March 2018, Ben recalled how, after he shared his first hug with Erin, it was the start of something special. "Six days later, I knew I was in love with her and would marry her one day — so I told her," Ben recalled. "Luckily, she felt the same way."
Their first official date — and Ben and Erin's first kiss — came two days after they met for their interview. According to an Instagram post Erin shared in December 2017, it was only four days after their first date that they said "I love you" to one another, which is a fairly quick evolution of a romance. While they both wanted to get married, the pair continued dating for several years until Ben formally popped the question in September 2007. They walked down the aisle in November 2008, in a sweet ceremony held at the University of Mississippi's Paris Yates Chapel.
Ben And Erin Napier Spend Almost No Time By Themselves
For some couples, space and independence can be vital for the success of their relationship. However, Ben Napier and Erin Napier seem to have no interest in living separate lives in any way whatsoever. Speaking with Qolture in March 2018, Erin explained why good communication was so important to them, and it's because they are almost never apart. "We're together 24 hours a day because we feel like the strongest team that way," Erin said.
This has been the case ever since they began filming their hit HGTV series "Home Town," when their lives got suddenly much more hectic and "regimented," as Erin explained. "As small business owners, our schedules had always been very scattered and flexible. ... With filming, our schedule is made for us," she shared. "Every minute of every day has been planned for us."
In their discussion with Entertainment Tonight, Ben said, "It's a well-oiled machine, absolutely," when referring to how they work and live together. This isn't exactly the most romantic depiction of a union between romantic partners, though it has seemed to work for them thus far. The pair spend nearly every waking moment side-by-side — which, unsurprisingly, has led to some unforeseen consequences.
Erin And Ben Napier's Kids Have A Hard Time When Either Parent Has To Be Away From Them
Because of the sheer amount of time Ben Napier and Erin Napier spend with their little girls, their daughters struggle whenever they are with only one parent. "Erin and I go to work together every day. So our girls are not accustomed to either mommy being at home or daddy being at home," Ben told TV Insider in December 2024. "It may come off as weird. ... but our girls don't act the normal way they act when it's just one of us. They act out."
While he didn't clarify exactly what he meant, Erin opened up about it during an appearance on the "Dadville Podcast" in October 2024. According to Erin, Helen and Mae "stay balanced and really sweet" when Ben and Erin are both spending time with them, but things change significantly when they are with only one or the other. Their kids begin to really misbehave, and "everything falls apart" after not having both Ben and Erin around to spend time with them.
This might be one reason it's been so hard for Ben and Erin to get alone time together. While they are always side-by-side, it's usually in the context of working on their show or spending time with their kids. Which means that going on romantic dates isn't something that usually fits into the equation. As Erin explained to Us Weekly in March 2025, "Date nights are planned six months in advance. They happen once or twice a year." Instead, the pair do their best to spend some lowkey quality time together when they can, and they take care of each other in small, significant ways.
Erin Napier Might Have Some Trust Issues When It Comes To Her Husband
While Erin Napier has been the love of Ben Napier's life since essentially their first date, that doesn't mean the green-eyed monster known as jealousy hasn't reared its ugly head from time to time. While speaking with Us Weekly in March 2025, Erin admitted that she can sometimes get a little suspicious and jealous when she discovers messages from other women on his phone. Specifically, she recalled how she got upset when a woman "who looks too much like a supermodel to be messaging Ben" was contacting him about collaborating with the Napiers.
A mysterious and attractive woman DMing your husband might be cause for concern in some circumstances. However, Ben and Erin are HGTV stars and it's not unreasonable to expect other professionals in the industry to reach out and ask about potential future collabs. Especially since many women in the home improvement entertainment universe could be (or even were) models — just look at Christina Haack, Nicole Curtis, and Heather Rae El Moussa, or any of the other HGTV stars who have aged like fine wine.
But the misplaced jealousy doesn't end with getting upset over some DMs. Erin herself recalled a time when Ben came home from work — in one of the rare instances they weren't working together — and had to take a mid-day shower because of a spill. Apparently Erin's mind raced with lurid possible explanations when she saw he'd washed up and she even called him to explain how she'd let her paranoia get the better of her. Despite saying she trusts Ben "110 percent," feelings of jealousy can cause issues in relationships over time.
Read the original article on The List.
