Christine Brown Baffled by Rumor of Kody Brown Taking on a Fifth Wife: “Is It Just for the Camera?”
Christine Brown, a star of TLC’s Sister Wives, has publicly expressed confusion and skepticism over rumors that her ex-husband, Kody Brown, might be considering a fifth wife, as teased in the Season 20 trailer of the reality show. The speculation, which surfaced in August 2025, has stirred debate among fans and cast members, with Christine questioning whether the move is genuine or merely a ploy for TV drama. As Kody navigates life with his sole remaining wife, Robyn Brown, after the dissolution of his plural marriages, Christine’s reaction highlights the ongoing tensions and evolving dynamics within the Brown family.
Key Details of the Rumor and Christine’s Reaction
The rumor of Kody Brown potentially taking a fifth wife emerged from a Season 20 Sister Wives trailer, aired in July 2025, where Kody revealed to Robyn that he received an email from a woman interested in joining their polygamous family. “I got another one of those emails from some woman asking, sort of, to get to know us for the purpose of joining the family,” Kody said, sparking immediate buzz. This revelation comes after Christine, Janelle, and Meri Brown all left Kody between 2021 and 2023, leaving Robyn as his only wife, a shift that has led Kody to publicly question his commitment to polygamy.
Christine, who ended her 25-year spiritual marriage to Kody in November 2021, voiced her disbelief during an appearance on The Sarah Fraser Show in August 2025. “I do not even know how to wrap my mind around what I have seen that they are even entertaining,” she said, clearly baffled. “Are they? Is it just for [the] camera? I do not know. I just don’t know.” She further questioned the fairness of Kody pursuing another wife, given his proclaimed devotion to Robyn as his “soulmate,” stating, “I hope not, because what they have is a soulmate situation. They really do.” Robyn, in the trailer, appeared unenthusiastic about the prospect, suggesting resistance to expanding the family.
The rumor has historical precedent but no concrete evidence. In 2023, a TikTok account (@Topish) claimed Kody was courting a Las Vegas waitress named Amber Smith, a story that gained traction but lacked substantiation and fizzled out. Similar unverified claims surfaced in 2017 and 2020, including a brief Wikipedia edit listing a “Leah Marie Brown” as a fifth wife, which was quickly removed.
Voices from the Brown Family and Beyond
Christine’s comments reflect her detachment from Kody’s decisions since their split. Now married to David Woolley since October 2023, she has emphasized finding true love and peace, contrasting her past with Kody, where she felt neglected emotionally and physically. “Love isn’t supposed to be confusing. It’s not supposed to hurt,” she wrote in a July 2025 Instagram post, reflecting on her new life. Her skepticism about Kody’s motives aligns with her broader critique of his favoritism toward Robyn, which she believes fractured their plural marriage.
Kody, 55, has expressed mixed feelings about polygamy. In an April 2025 episode, he told Robyn, “I’m not interested in plural marriage anymore,” citing the emotional toll of his divorces. Yet, the trailer’s suggestion of a new wife has led some, including Christine, to question if it’s a publicity stunt to boost Sister Wives ratings, especially as the show navigates its 20th season amid declining viewership. Robyn, 46, voiced discomfort, saying in a December 2024 special that adding a new wife feels “disrespectful” after the departure of her sister wives.
Fans and analysts are divided. Social media posts on X speculate that Kody’s flirtation with polygamy could be “clickbait for the show,” with one user noting, “Kody loves the spotlight too much to go full monogamy.” Others argue he might genuinely consider a new wife to maintain the polygamist narrative central to Sister Wives. TLC has remained silent, fueling speculation that the rumor is a scripted cliffhanger.
Background Context
The Brown family’s journey began in 2010 with Sister Wives, documenting Kody’s life with four wives: Meri (married 1990), Janelle (1993), Christine (1994), and Robyn (2010). The 2023 Electricity Act in Nigeria, unrelated to this family drama, decentralized power generation, offering a metaphor for the family’s own shift as Christine, Janelle, and Meri left Kody, granting themselves autonomy. Christine’s departure was driven by feelings of neglect, exacerbated by Kody’s focus on Robyn, whom he legally married in 2014 after divorcing Meri to adopt Robyn’s children. Her new book, Sister Wife: A Memoir of Faith, Family, and Finding Freedom, details these struggles, including a painful first sexual experience with Kody and the impact of Robyn’s arrival.
The rumor’s timing coincides with Christine’s ongoing child support lawsuit against Kody for their daughter Truely, filed in September 2024, where she labeled him a “deadbeat dad.” This legal battle, combined with the trailer’s tease, has kept the Brown family in the headlines, though Christine insists she wants no further contact with Kody.
Impact and Next Steps
If Kody pursues a fifth wife, it could reinvigorate Sister Wives’ narrative but risks alienating Robyn and further straining his fractured family. For Christine, now thriving with Woolley, the rumor underscores her relief at leaving a marriage she described as lacking “true intimacy.” The show’s producers may lean into the drama for ratings, with Season 20 episodes airing Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on TLC, potentially revealing more in coming weeks.
Next steps include monitoring Kody’s response in upcoming episodes or public statements, as he’s expressed a desire for “healing” with his ex-wives. Christine’s focus remains on her new life, but her comments suggest she’ll continue to critique Kody’s choices publicly. Fans should watch for developments at the Sister Wives: One on One special, expected in December 2025, which may clarify whether the fifth wife rumor is fact or fiction.
Conclusion
Christine Brown’s bafflement at Kody’s rumored fifth wife reflects her hard-won perspective on a marriage that left her feeling sidelined. Whether a genuine move or a reality TV stunt, the rumor keeps the Brown family’s saga compelling, even as Christine builds a new life free of polygamy’s complexities. For Sister Wives viewers, the takeaway is clear: The drama of the Brown family endures, but Christine’s journey from confusion to clarity steals the show.