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Nick Lachey recently discussed his experience of starring on MTV’s Newlyweds with ex-wife Jessica Simpson during a Richer Lives podcast interview on YouTube. MTV’s Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica became an early-2000s cultural phenomenon, documenting the marriage of pop singer Jessica Simpson and 98 Degrees member Nick Lachey.
The couple divorced in 2006, one year after the show’s season 3 concluded. Nearly two decades after their divorce, Lachey addressed the show’s legacy in the recent Richer Lives with SoFi podcast interview. He revealed that the series began pragmatically.
"You know, my ex-wife had an album coming out, [I] had an album coming out, I’ll do a little six-episode thing to promote the album," Lachey said.
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Notably, after the finale of Newlyweds, rumors surrounding Simpson having an affair with Johnny Knoxville began circulating. Although the two denied the same at the time, in 2020, Simpson confided in her memoir about having an "emotional affair" with Knoxville.
In November 2005, Lachey and Simpson announced their separation, with the latter filing for divorce citing "irreconcilable differences."
Meanwhile, talking about Newlyweds further, he said that the show's unexpected success surprised him.
"We had no idea it was going to take on this other life of being this reality fly-on-the-wall type of show," he said.
Airing from 2003 to 2005, the show depicted Lachey opposite Simpson, as they navigated life after marriage. The Love is Blind host described adapting to constant filming and how he went on to love the crew of the show. He emotionally recalled "crying the day we shut down" due to deep bonds formed with production staff.
Reflecting on the experience, Nick Lachey highlighted how reality TV reshaped his public identity beyond his boy band image:
"What reality TV did for me is it allowed me to introduce myself as Nick Lachey, the person... even guys around me [were like], ‘He’s kind of cool. I’d have a beer with that guy.’"
He noted no financial regrets, indicating he was paid well during the show. Post-divorce, Lachey met Vanessa Minnillo while directing his 2006 What’s Left of Me video. They married in 2011 and co-hosted Netflix’s Love Is Blind.
Nick Lachey's journey from boy band persona to reality TV authenticity
Nick Lachey contrasted his controlled boy band persona with Newlyweds’ raw exposure. During the Richer Lives podcast, he revealed:
"When you’re in a boy band, people just know you as Nick from 98 Degrees... It’s specifically a pretty female audience."
The show’s unfiltered approach forced vulnerability as Nick developed a relationship with the crew, stating they "really became a family." This authenticity became foundational to his later career. Hosting Love Is Blind with wife Vanessa leverages this ethos, focusing on organic connections without preconceptions.
"I think the beauty is that you don’t know who’s going to fall in love with who," he explained, emphasizing spontaneity over produced drama.
The divorce itself was not dissected in the interview, but Lachey framed the experience as pivotal for personal growth.
Nick and Vanessa now balance parenting three children (two sons and a daughter) with co-hosting duties, merging personal and professional realms.
As of now, Jessica Simpson has not publicly addressed Lachey's remarks.
