As Storage Wars season 16 premiered on June 7, 2025, longtime viewers saw the return of Brandi Passante, who appeared solo without her former partner, Jarrod Schulz. A familiar face since the show’s debut in 2010, Passante originally joined as part of a duo and quickly became a key figure in the storage auction scene.In 2014, however, her screen time noticeably decreased. That brief absence was due to her involvement in another A&E project titled Brandi & Jarrod: Married to the Job, a short-lived spinoff centered on the former couple's family life. After the spinoff ended, Brandi rejoined Storage Wars and continued her role in later seasons.She is also now preparing to launch a new podcast, The Real Reality with Brandi Passante, set to premiere this August.Why Brandi Passante took a break from Storage Wars in 2014?A 2014 spinoff led to a brief absence View this post on Instagram Instagram PostIn 2014, Passante committed to another A&E project, Brandi & Jarrod: Married to the Job, a reality spinoff that followed the ex couple's home life with their children and business operations apart from auctions, but the show was not renewed after eight episodes.Both Passante and Schulz went back to Storage Wars following the spinoff and kept filming for several seasons, appearing together up to season 12 in 2018.Though they eventually separated in April 2021, they continued to participate as individual buyers in season 13. Passante took a break from the show temporarily but came back to the cast as Storage Wars resumed for season 15 in 2023. She has since continued her participation, featuring again in the ongoing season 16.Personal life after the show’s changesIn a June 2020 interview on The Dad Diary podcast, Passante spoke about the difficulties of single parenting. She explained that her children were with her at all times and that she was responsible for managing everything herself. She explained:"I did a lot of it on my own anyway, but it’s the scary dad voice in the background that we’re missing... I have them all the time, 24/7 they're here with me, so I have to navigate that."In a separate appearance on Spirit Talk's YouTube channel in February 2021, Passante shared updates on her life post-breakup. She explained that she wasn't "allowed to have an identity" for many years."These last couple of years, I'm kind of coming into my own and figuring out who I am... I just don't have an attachment to anyone. I've definitely dated and things like that, but ... right now it's not something I'm really trying hard to seek out," she added.She said she was seeing "no one in particular" and was not actively looking for a relationship.Brandi Passante launches podcast show View this post on Instagram Instagram PostBrandi Passante is expanding her presence beyond Storage Wars with the launch of her new podcast titled The Real Reality with Brandi Passante. On July 12, 2025, she announced via Instagram that the premiere episode will drop on August 12, 2025.The announcement also noted that some bonus After Party episodes will be available exclusively through their Patreon, offering extended content for listeners who want more beyond the main show. The guests include Good Luck Charlie actor Bradley Steven Perry, Canadian performer Brandi Maxxxx, and YouTuber-comedian Rachel Ballinger.Stream Storage Wars season 16 on Hulu.