Chip Gaines is getting candid about how he really feels about wife Joanna Gaines doing a show without him.
The Magnolia Network star, 50, opened up about Joanna’s new series Mini Reni while chatting exclusively with Parade amid his partnership with the Work Worth Doing campaign with Bobcat. Joking that he “kind of peaked in high school” and was a “very confident” twentysomething when he met Joanna, 47, Chip says that watching his wife blossom into the “superstar” she is today is something that brings him an immense amount of joy.
🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
“As I think about Jo and this incredible opportunity that God has blessed us with, I mean — it’s just like, I thought I was going to be a superstar. But it turned out the universe had a totally different idea in mind, and she has become just this incredible leader,” he says. “I’m so proud of her … We’ve definitely evolved in our older age in almost a sarcastic way. Like, I’ve become a little more bashful, I’m a tad insecure, dare I say. And Jo has become this force to be reckoned with.”
As for his partnership with Bobcat, Chip tells Parade that linking up with the brand was a no-brainer, especially since he has the chance to give back to Jason Shields, a U.S. veteran who founded the Hoof Haven Sanctuary, an organization dedicated to rescuing injured and endangered horses.
Chip will present Shields with Bobcat’s compact track loader as part of their new campaign, which is dedicated to recognizing and supporting hometown heroes who inspire others through their communities.
Related: Joanna Gaines Issues Bold Statement About New Solo Renovation Show
“Hearing his story, his level of commitment to this community [and] to the veterans that he’s looking to serve, it’s pretty incredible,” he says. “When I think about philanthropy, it almost sounds like a big corporate thing that is a little hard to touch and feel, but what I mean by that is just, when you see a person in need, how do you engage with that need, and how do you step in in a real, practical way?”
He adds: “So Jo and I — that’s just who we were 15 or 20 years ago when we first got started, and it’s just become part of who we are now. And this platform gives us an opportunity to really step into really practical, big, real, audacious opportunities, and today’s a perfect example.”
