Even after reaching mega popularity with their hit show Fixer Upper, striking a partnership with Target and releasing a new book, Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines are still getting used to life in the limelight.
Following the announcement that their HGTV home improvement series would end after its fifth season, some fans speculated marital problems were to blame. Newsflash to the naysayers: This couple is stronger than ever!
The Gaines understand that rumors come with signing up for the fame game, telling the hosts of E!'s Daily Pop, "When you put yourself out in the public light like this, people are going to speculate like this and we have had our fair share of that, but Jo and I are just as happy as we have ever been."
Not to say they weren't taken aback by the gossip, of course. Chip continued, "It's just the rumor mill—I think—surprised us a little bit." So with booming business ventures in their hometown of Waco, Texas, he thought their followers would be more "anxious to see what the next chapter was going to hold."
As always, Joanna provided the voice of reason, explaining, "I think it seems weird to kind of leave on a high note. I think for people, there has got to be a negative reason to that. I think that is not always how life has to be."
She added, "I think for us we felt that season five was just the perfect end to this beautiful chapter, but really the why is time, you know?"
It's easy to see just how important family is to the couple, describing their children as the "most important thing in the world."
While they love their work and making the show, the couple said, "Unfortunately, I don't think if they came back and offered a billion dollars that we would step back at this point. We are pretty headstrong and when we feel like it is the right decision for our relationship, for our family, for our business, it would take an act of congress to knock us off that position."
When asked if they were simply holding out for contract negotiations, Joanna said she'd yet to hear the rumor. Chip responded in his typically jovial manner, "That's not stupid, that is brilliant. Let's do that thing. Do you know anybody who can help us with that?"
The final season of Fixer Upper debuts Nov. 28.