Chip and Joanna Gaines Respond to Rumors That Security Concerns Were Behind Decision to End Fixer Upper

Chip and Joanna Gaines are safe, sound and unconcerned about rumors about their security.

A representative for the couple has shut down allegations that worries about their security were behind the HGTV stars’ decision to end their hit show Fixer Upper after its upcoming fifth season.

“Chip and Jo’s decision to leave Fixer Upper is truly just based on wanting to catch their breath for a minute; to rest, refresh, and spend even more time with their family and growing businesses,” the rep told Entertainment Tonight in response to a report that “security issues” were a factor.

“It is not based on concerns for their family’s safety or anything else people might read,” the statement continues. “They were very open and honest about their reasoning behind this decision when they first shared the announcement.”

Chip, 42, and Joanna, 39, opened up about their difficult decision in a post on the Magnolia blog, writing: “While we are confident that this is the right choice for us, it has for sure not been an easy one to come to terms with. Our family has grown up alongside yours, and we have felt you rooting us on from the other side of the screen. How bittersweet to say goodbye to the very thing that introduced us all in the first place.”

This is not the first time the Gaineses have had to shut down rumors about their personal lives. In April, and again in July, Joanna spoke out about false reports that said she was leaving the show to get into the beauty business and warned fans not to buy a “scam” face cream bearing her name.

In April, Joanna wrote in a blog post, “At this point in our career we can honestly say, we’ve heard it all—from reports of us moving our family to Vegas to us having more or less children than we actually have. So remember, you can’t believe everything you read.”

The fifth and final season of Fixer Upper premieres on HGTV in November.