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Chrisleys' Post-Prison Nightmare: Stars Detail 'Rough' Life as New Reality Show Looms

Published 5 days ago5 minute read
Precious Eseaye
Precious Eseaye
Chrisleys' Post-Prison Nightmare: Stars Detail 'Rough' Life as New Reality Show Looms

The Chrisley family is poised for a significant return to the small screen with their new reality series, titled 'The Chrisleys: Back to Reality.' This marks their first television appearance since 'Chrisley Knows Best' concluded two years prior, following the highly publicized legal troubles of Todd and Julie Chrisley. The couple faced sentencing for tax evasion and bank fraud, a period that ultimately led to their incarceration. However, thanks to a high-profile presidential pardon by Donald Trump in May 2025, their legal ordeal is behind them, and the family is now ready to share their story with the world from a deeply personal perspective.

The much-anticipated series, 'The Chrisleys: Back to Reality,' is set to premiere as a two-night television event on Lifetime. The initial episodes will air on Monday, September 1, and Tuesday, September 2, each featuring a two-hour segment beginning at 8/7c. Following this premiere, back-to-back episodes will continue on Tuesday, September 9, leading up to the season finale scheduled for Tuesday, September 16.

Familiar faces from the original series will grace the new show, including Todd and Julie Chrisley, alongside their children Savannah, Chase, and Grayson, and their adopted granddaughter Chloe. Fan-favorite Nanny Faye is also returning, promising to bring her characteristic wit and warmth. Adding new dynamics to the family narrative, Julie’s parents, Harvey and Pam, will be making their first appearance on the show. Notably, Todd’s older children from a previous relationship, Lindsie and Kyle Chrisley, will not be participating in this new project.

An emotional five-minute trailer for the series was released on July 31, offering fans a raw and intimate glimpse into the family’s current life. The trailer opens with a poignant phone call between Savannah and her father, Todd, who was still incarcerated at the time. In the clip, Todd reassures Savannah, saying, “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, reflecting on the profound impact of their parents' absence, shares, “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 Chrisley also offers his perspective on the legacy of their previous show, remarking, “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 elaborates on the stark contrast between their public and private lives, stating, “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's journey to freedom was a protracted one. They were initially sentenced in November 2022 to a combined 19 years in prison on multiple charges, including bank and wire fraud and tax evasion. Their sentences were later reduced in 2023 following ongoing appeals. The true turning point arrived on May 27, 2025, when President Donald Trump officially announced their pardons during a phone call with the Chrisley children. Trump's words during that recorded call, later shared on X, were, “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.”

While their release brought an end to their legal battle, returning to normal life has presented its own set of unexpected challenges. During the July 23 episode of their podcast, “Chrisley Confessions 2.0,” Todd and Julie candidly discussed the difficulties they’ve encountered since being granted full presidential pardons. Julie, 52, shared a common sentiment among those released from prison: “And we all have this general consensus that — it’s kind of weird to even say it…” Todd, 56, interjected, affirming, “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.”

Julie elaborated on this paradox, explaining that incarceration provided a certain mental simplicity. “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 recalled. “And the longer you’re there, the more removed you become to the world.” She also reflected on the heartbreak of being separated from their children—Savannah, Grayson, Chase, and Chloe—and the emergence of survival instincts. “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 home, the couple described their adjustment as a “crash course in reality.” Julie noted, “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.” Both Todd and Julie expressed gratitude to President Trump for his intervention, which ultimately led to their freedom, concluding a tumultuous chapter in their lives and opening a new one, as documented in 'The Chrisleys: Back to Reality.'

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