The Chrisley family is set to make a highly anticipated return to television with their new reality series, TheChrisleys: Back to Reality. This marks their first on-screen appearance since Chrisley Knows Best concluded two years ago, following the legal challenges faced by Todd and Julie Chrisley,who were sentenced for tax evasion and bank fraud. With their legal troubles now resolved thanks to a significant presidential pardon, the family is prepared to share their story from a deeply personal perspective.

The new show is scheduled to premiere as a two-night event on Lifetime, starting Monday, September 1, and continuing on Tuesday, September 2. Each night will feature a two-hour episode, beginning at 8/7c. Following the premiere, subsequent back-to-back episodes will air on Tuesday, September 9, leading up to the season finale on Tuesday, September 16.

The Chrisleys: Back to Reality will feature many familiar faces alongside new additions. Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were central to the original series, return with their children Savannah, Chase, Grayson, and adopted granddaughter Chloe. Fan-favoriteNanny Faye will also be back, bringing her characteristic humor and warmth. For the first time, Julie’s parents, Harvey and Pam, will join the cast. Notably absent from the new project are Todd’s older children from a previous relationship, Lindsie and Kyle Chrisley, who are not participating.

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An emotional five-minute trailer for the series was released on July 31, offering a raw glimpse into the family's current dynamics. The trailer opens with a poignant phone call between Savannah and her father, Todd, who was still incarcerated at the time. Todd assures Savannah, “We will get through this. I don’t know how it’s going to end, but at some point, the truth is going to come out.”Savannah also reflects on the family's fractured state, stating, “With my parents gone, our household is completely divided. I told my parents, I don’t know if it can ever be repaired, honestly.” Chase, reflecting on their previous show, noted, “I don’t think people really understood how big Chrisley Knows Best was. My dad’s this insane human. I think it definitely made good TV.” He further explained the contrast between their on-screen life and their legal battles, “We were filming one thing that was this happy life. Cameras go down, and we’re also fighting a fed case.”

Todd and Julie Chrisley were initially sentenced in November 2022 to a combined 19 years in prison for charges including bank and wire fraud and tax evasion. While their sentences were reduced in 2023 amidst ongoing appeals, their true turning point arrived in 2025. On May 27, 2025, President Donald Trump officially announced their pardons during a phone call with the Chrisley children. In the recorded call, which was later shared on X, Trump remarked, “It’s a terrible thing, but it’s a great thing, because your parents are going to be free and clean. I don’t know them, but give them my regards and wish them a good luck.”

Upon their return home, Todd and Julie Chrisley discovered that adjusting to normal life presented unexpected challenges. In the July 23 episode of their “Chrisley Confessions 2.0” podcast, the couple, who were granted full presidential pardons by President Donald Trump in May 2025 after serving over two years, discussed the difficulties they’ve encountered since their release. Julie, 52, shared a common sentiment among former inmates: “And we all have this general consensus that it’s kind of weird to even say it…” Todd, 56, interjected, confirming, “No, it’s not weird. Life is rougher than prison life. I mean, that’s a sad thing to say because it is so horrific, the conditions that you’re there for but that’s from a physical standpoint, but from an emotional and psychological standpoint, it is harder dealing with day to day.”

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Julie elaborated on the mental simplicity experienced in prison. “There’s very little you can do because you’re in prison … And people told me this when I first got there, you can’t live out there and in here at the same time because it’ll literally run you crazy,” she explained. “And the longer you’re there, the more removed you become to the world.” The couple, who were originally sentenced for bank and wire fraud and tax evasion, have been vocal about the profound toll their incarceration took on them and their family. Julie reflected on the heartbreak of being separated from their children Savannah, Grayson, Chase, and Chloe, noting that over time, survival instincts took over. “The longer that people are away from their kids, as crazy as it sounds because it’s a double edged sword the easier it becomes because you get into your own routine,” she said. “It doesn’t mean you don’t miss them, you don’t love ‘em… I had to just watch out for me. I had to take care of me. I had to make sure that I was good, as good as I could be. Physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and that’s all I could really do.”

Now that they are home, they describe the adjustment as a “crash course in reality.” Julie highlighted their unique situation: “We didn’t have to go to a halfway house. So, we don’t have to answer to a probation officer. We’re not limited as to where we can go and how we can move. So, I think we were thrown right back into the real world.” Todd again expressed gratitude to President Trump for their freedom, reiterating Trump’s message during the pardon announcement. The pardons brought an end to a protracted legal battle for the Chrisleys, confirming their freedom after their initial sentence was reduced and their appeals continued until Trump’s direct intervention.