The former high school sweethearts, each of whom had been married and divorced once before marrying in 1994, shared two daughters, including one from Ginas previous marriage (per Amomama). Viewers loved the Neelys adorable and relatable married-couple dynamics, not to mention the down-home wisdom their repartee imparted, particularly when it came to Southern cooking and barbecue. “Down Home With The Neelys” depicted Gina and Pat as enjoying what appeared to be “a seemingly unbreakable bond,” per Essence.
Things were not as they seemed, however. Although fans were shocked by news of the split, according to The Grio, court documents revealed that the Neelys had already been quietly separated for two years before their joint announcement was made, per TMZ. Both Gina and Pat took significant time to process the demise of their marriage before addressing the public regarding the circumstances surrounding it (with Gina having waited for two years, and Pat having waited for four). However, both Pat and Gina have now spoken out about the split. And from the sound of things, the marriage was rocky before the show began, but the show and its success were significant precipitating factors.
In September 2014, the celebrity chefs announced they were divorcing after two decades of marriage and subsequently ending their cooking show. “Today we announce that we are ending our marriage of 20 years for irreconcilable differences,” they shared in a joint statement at the time.
Pat Neely says he’ll ‘always cherish’ getting to do the show
In 2014, two years after she had quietly left the marital home that she shared with Pat Neely, her then-husband of 20+ years (per TMZ), Gina Neely finally felt ready to step away from both the show that had made her and her family famous, as well as the last remaining legal trappings of her marriage to Pat.
On September 26, 2014, the couple issued a joint statement that left no room for their heartbroken fans to even hope for a reconciliation, per People. The Neely divorce was finalized quickly, the litigation taking a mere six hours in total, according to Pat (via People).
Despite that Gina was the one who chose to end both the relationship and the shows uber-successful run, Pat has said that he respected Ginas decision. Further, he has said that he harbors no ill feelings towards his ex-wife. “One of the things that Ill always cherish about Down Home with the Neelys was that I had an opportunity to get on television every day and invite people into our home,” he told People in 2018. “And I was able to share that with my high school sweetheart, a woman I truly loved, and to be me. I never had to act.”
Doing the show spelled the eventual end of the Neelys’ marriage
Even as “Down Home With The Neelys” was becoming a perennial jewel in the Food Network crown, Gina Neely found herself disengaging from Pat Neely, to the point where their relationship no longer felt like a marriage to her.
“I wasnt sexually attracted to him,” she told People in 2018. “He became my business partner, whereas I needed a husband.” But even the business partnership came to feel like an emotional ordeal for Gina, who recalled “cocooning” herself and crying in secret in the leadup to episodes shoots. Nevertheless, Gina stayed with the show for seven years — the last two of which, she and Pat were living apart, unbeknownst to their fans (per TMZ).
As previously noted, Gina felt a responsibility to the show and to the network. In addition, she felt sustained by the moments of joy that she would experience while sharing her family stories with a rapt public audience. On the other hand, Gina was aware that her daughters hated the attention the show and those stories brought to their lives. Nevertheless, Gina was reluctant to leave the show or her marriage, which had, by then, become one and the same. To Gina, leaving meant subjecting her daughters to divorce and living apart from their father. Having been raised without a father, herself, Gina had hoped to “break the cycle” for her daughters.
The Truth About Gina And Pat Neely’s Divorce
FAQ
Who are the husband and wife chefs in Memphis?
What happened to the Nellies?
Did Pat Neely get divorced?
Pat Neely wants everyone to know that he’s doing just fine. It’s been four years since the former star of Food Network’s Down Home with the Neelys got divorced from his wife and costar, Gina Neely, and he has not spoken about the split in public — until now. “At the time, I was hurting. I was devastated.
How long did the Neely divorce take?
The Neely divorce was finalized quickly, the litigation taking a mere six hours in total, according to Pat (via People ). Despite that Gina was the one who chose to end both the relationship and the show’s uber-successful run, Pat has said that he respected Gina’s decision.
Why did Pat and Gina Neely’s marriage end in divorce?
Here’s why Pat and Gina Neely’s marriage ended in divorce. They were high school sweethearts who seemed absolutely perfect for each other and over the moon to have their own Food Network show, but in reality, Pat and Gina were having major marital problems while filming Down Home With the Neelys.
Why did Gina Neely break up with Pat Neely?
Even as “Down Home With The Neelys” was becoming a perennial jewel in the Food Network crown, Gina Neely found herself disengaging from Pat Neely, to the point where their relationship no longer felt like a marriage to her. “I wasn’t sexually attracted to him,” she told People in 2018. “He became my business partner, whereas I needed a husband.”