Food Network fans couldn't help but fall in love with the married duo of Gina and Pat Neely when their show, Down Home With the Neelys, first premiered in 2008. The series quickly became a fan favorite, showcasing the couple's charming personalities and their delicious Southern recipes. But a few years later, the show suddenly came to an end after Pat and Gina made some major changes in their personal lives. Let's dive into what happened to this beloved couple and where they are today.
The Story of Pat and Gina Neely
Pat and Gina tied the knot in 1994, starting a life together that would eventually include their daughter, Shelbi, and Gina’s daughter, Spenser, from a previous relationship. The Neely family was already a household name thanks to their successful barbecue restaurants across the U.S. before they even stepped in front of the camera. When they landed their own Food Network series, it felt like a natural extension of their already thriving careers.
Down Home With the Neelys was an instant hit with audiences, and for good reason. The show featured 143 episodes dedicated to sharing mouthwatering recipes in the comfort of the couple's Tennessee home. But in September 2014, the celebrity chefs made the surprising announcement that they were getting a divorce after 20 years of marriage, which also led to the end of their cooking show.
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“Today we announce that we are ending our marriage of 20 years for irreconcilable differences,” they shared in a joint statement at the time. “This was a tough decision, but we believe it is the best decision for us. As parents of two beautiful adult daughters that we love dearly, we will continue to be involved in each other’s lives as parents and friends.”
Even though their marriage ended, Pat later revealed that filming the show was one of the most fulfilling experiences of his life. “One of the things that I’ll 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 October 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.”
Where Are Pat and Gina Neely Today?
After their divorce, both Pat and Gina went on to start new chapters in their lives. In 2015, Pat met his now-wife, Tamika Parks, on a cruise and fell head over heels for her. He proposed to her the following year, and they tied the knot at their Georgia home in October 2017. Tamika already had a son, Elijah, from a previous relationship, and the couple welcomed a daughter together named Eriel.
As for Gina, she had some exciting news of her own in February 2022. She announced that she was going to become a grandmother, sharing the joyous moment on Instagram. “I’m going to be a Gigi!” she captioned a sweet video after her daughter Spenser revealed she was expecting her first child. “I’m about to explode over here!”
Spenser gave birth to her little boy, Noah, with her partner, Tayloe Taylor, in August 2022. Gina’s Instagram account is filled with adorable photos of her precious grandson and her family. In addition to becoming a grandmother, Gina also opened her heart to finding love again. She appeared on the Bravo reality series To Rome for Love in 2018,
