The Biggest Rumors About HGTV Stars Ben And Erin Napier

Ben and Erin Napier may be household names thanks to their HGTV show "Home Town," but their time in the spotlight hasn't always been an easy ride. On the contrary, they've dealt with a number of damning rumors over the years. Most didn't last long, though, thanks to Erin quickly shutting them down.

Taking it back to the start of their time on "Home Town," fans may remember that some viewers had questions over how the couple snagged their HGTV gig. Specifically, some questioned whether the Napiers were qualified to have their own renovation show, given their lack of prior professional experience.

It's worth noting that the couple hasn't gone out of their way to dispel any of the rumors regarding why they were selected for HGTV — that's because they've never kept it a secret. In fact, back in 2016, they told HottyToddy.com that Instagram pics of their home renovation had been published by Southern Weddings, and not long after, an HGTV exec reached out. As Ben joked more recently with People, his initial response to being asked about being on a show was, "Really? Why?" It seems these questions don't bug the couple one bit, then. However, not all the gossip as been so easy to dismiss. 

Several years into their HGTV tenure, Ben Napier's reputation was rocked by a scandal. In 2022, Mississippi Today reported on allegations that former Governor of Mississippi Phil Bryant and former NFL star Brett Favre used state welfare money to build a volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi where Favre's daughter attended school. As for how Ben Napier was brought into it, court documents tied him to the lockers built for the facility. However, Erin was quick to point out that there had been a major misunderstanding.

In a post to X, then Twitter, Erin wrote to Mississippi Today reporter Anna Wolfe, "Ben didn't build lockers for anyone. The governor texted asking him if he could recommend someone to build wooden lockers, and Ben offered a recommendation for a cabinet maker we work with." That wasn't all, though. Erin also took Wolfe to task for insinuating that her husband was involved, and potentially tarnishing his name. "You should get total clarity on a fact like this before you tweet it," she noted. Big yikes.

For what it's worth, Wolfe immediately responded and promised to clarify. "The public court filing says Ben Napier 'assisted with locker construction ... at Gov. Bryant's request' which, of course, there's nothing wrong with," she wrote in a follow-up X post. Well, at least that cleared that rumor up. 

Unfortunately for Ben Napier, the Mississippi Today report wouldn't be the only time he was linked to a scandal he had nothing to do with. In August 2023, his wife took to Instagram to warn fans that his image was being used to scam people into buying supplements on social media. Supplements, it should be noted, that he had never even used.

"If you've been seeing this pic of @scotsman.co popping up EVERYWHERE this week like we have, claiming he's peddling some sort of keto supplements, it is fake," Erin Napier wrote in her caption. She warned people against falling for the scam and implored anyone who came across it to report the account posting it. Unfortunately, some users thought the scam ads were legit because of Ben's dramatic weight loss.

The Napiers have long spoken about all the hard work Ben put in to managing his weight to avoid the health issues that had affected other men in his family. While talking to ET, Erin joked that he'd started eating "girl dinner" alongside her, and that they'd set up a gym in their home to make it easier to get his workouts in. No seedy supplements here. Plenty of celebs have been involved in scams, but Ben isn't one of them.

While not quite the same as the rumors surrounding how Ben and Erin Napier got their HGTV show, or business projects they have no part in, one rumor that has affected the Napiers is that they're expecting a baby. And, while there's no doubt "Home Town" fans are probably just wishing the best for the couple, Erin Napier has taken to social media to ask people to stop.

Taking to her Instagram stories in April 2024, Erin wrote, "Not expecting a baby. Medically not capable, so please give that a rest? We don't need a son to be complete as a family and I just like loose clothes. Let it beeeeeee, you sweet people" (via People). ICYMI, the HGTV stars are already parents to two girls. They welcomed their second daughter in 2021, and Ben and Erin Napier shared the exciting news just a month before her birth.

Even if the fans contributing to rumors of Erin's pregnancy are well-meaning, it is one rumor that needs to go away, stat. After all, if Erin herself has said it's not in the cards, bringing it up is downright unkind. If things got to a point where she felt she had to address it, that means it had taken a toll on her already. If there's one thing we've learned about Erin, though, it's that she likes to set the record straight. Something tells us if the pregnancy rumors persist, she won't hesitate to nip it in the bud, yet again.