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From Prison to Prime Time: Todd and Julie Chrisley Return for Raw 'Back to Reality' Series

Published 1 month ago4 minute read
Precious Eseaye
Precious Eseaye
From Prison to Prime Time: Todd and Julie Chrisley Return for Raw 'Back to Reality' Series

The Chrisley family is set to make a highly anticipated return to television with a new reality series titled "The Chrisleys: Back to Reality." This marks their first appearance on screen in two years, following the conclusion of "Chrisley Knows Best" and the legal challenges faced by family patriarch and matriarch, Todd and Julie Chrisley. The couple had been sentenced for serious charges including tax evasion and bank fraud, but their legal troubles concluded in May 2025 with a high-profile presidential pardon granted by then-President Donald Trump. The family is now prepared to share their story, offering an intimate look into their lives post-incarceration.

"The Chrisleys: Back to Reality" is scheduled to premiere on Lifetime with a two-night television event on Monday, September 1, and Tuesday, September 2, each featuring two-hour episodes. Subsequent back-to-back episodes will air on Tuesday, September 9, leading up to the season finale on Tuesday, September 16. The series will feature several familiar faces, including Todd and Julie Chrisley, along with their children Savannah, Chase, and Grayson, and adopted granddaughter Chloe. Fan-favorite Nanny Faye will also return, contributing her characteristic wit and warmth. Additionally, Julie’s parents, Harvey and Pam, will join the show for the first time. Notably absent from the new project are Todd’s older children from a previous relationship, Lindsie and Kyle Chrisley.

A five-minute trailer for the series, released on July 31, has already generated significant emotional responses, providing a raw glimpse into the family's current dynamics. The trailer opens with a poignant phone call between Savannah and her incarcerated father, Todd, who asserts, “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 herself expresses the profound impact on their household, 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 also reflects on the family’s previous show, acknowledging, “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 highlighted the dichotomy of their lives, saying, “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 through the justice system began with their original sentencing in November 2022 to a combined 19 years in prison for multiple charges, including bank and wire fraud and tax evasion. While their sentences were reduced in 2023 amidst ongoing appeals, the pivotal moment arrived in May 2025 when President Donald Trump intervened, announcing their pardons during a phone call with the Chrisley children. Trump's words, later shared on X, conveyed, “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.”

Since their release, Todd and Julie have been vocal about the unexpected challenges of readapting to normal life, discussing their experiences on the "Chrisley Confessions 2.0" podcast. They shared a surprising consensus with other former inmates: that day-to-day life post-prison is "rougher than prison life" from an emotional and psychological standpoint, despite the horrific physical conditions of incarceration. Julie explained that prison offered a "mental simplicity" due to limited options, leading to a gradual removal from the outside world. She also reflected on the heartbreaking experience of being separated from their children (Savannah, Grayson, Chase, and Chloe), noting that over time, a survival instinct takes over, making it "easier" in a double-edged way as one settles into a routine. However, she emphasized that this doesn't diminish love or longing.

The couple, who did not have to go to a halfway house or deal with probation officers due to their full pardons, felt "thrown right back into the real world." This immediate immersion has made their adjustment a "crash course in reality." Todd reiterated his gratitude to President Trump for the pardons, which ultimately brought an end to their prolonged legal battle and facilitated their freedom. The return to television with "The Chrisleys: Back to Reality" aims to capture this complex journey of freedom, adjustment, and family rebuilding.

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