Tragic Details About HGTV Star Jonathan Knight's Life
It seems like Jonathan Knight has it all. He's seen the dizzying heights of pop star fame as one fifth of the boyband New Kids on the Block, is the super charismatic co-host of HGTV's hugely popular "Farmhouse Fixer," and he's been happily married to his husband Harley Rodriguez since 2022. But it turns out this star hasn't had the easiest of roads to reach his happily ever after.
One of the star's toughest challenges came with the prospect of sharing his sexuality with the world, as he's shared he was once advised to keep the fact that he's gay under wraps. Speaking on the "Frosted Tips with Lance Bass" podcast in 2023, Knight claimed New Kids on the Block's manager specifically urged him not to come out. "He pulled me aside and he was like, 'If anybody finds out, then your career is over, the New Kids' career is over. My career is over... Sony's going to lose money.' It was just so much pressure and looking back, that's a lot of pressure to put on somebody who is just trying to figure out the world themselves," he shared. Thankfully, Knight pushed past the backlash and was able to live life as his true self unapologetically — but that's certainly not the only heartache he's experienced in his life, which has been fraught with anxiety attacks and heartbreaking attempts to become a father.
Jonathan Knight has struggled with anxiety
Jonathan Knight is proof that being one of the biggest stars in the world and being surrounded by loyal, loving fans day in and day out doesn't paint the whole picture of what may be going on behind the scenes. Following New Kids on the Block's first split, Knight took a step back from the spotlight while dealing with issues relating to anxiety. He told People he was the first one to suggest the band should go their separate ways, revealing he'd been having some difficult times on stage. "We performed in front of 30,000 people every night and I had lots of anxiety attacks," he recalled. "Those attacks had a big impact on my determining to leave the entertainment industry."
In order to feel comfortable in the spotlight again, Knight explained during a 2001 appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" that he got his confidence by singing in bars. "What I did first was just go to the piano bar and just watch, and then I got enough courage to actually go up and sing a song. But I would go incognito at first," he shared (via MTV News). But in a horrifically ironic twist, while speaking to the nation about his anxiety, Knight later told Xtra he actually had a panic attack while filming "The Oprah Winfrey Show." "That was the worst and a bad point in my life," he said.
New Kids on the Block had to perform without Jonathan Knight after he suffered a nasty injury
Back in 2015, Jonathan Knight's New Kids on the Block bandmates — his brother, Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood — had to perform without him after he suffered a very nasty injury. The band were supposed to take to the stage as a fivesome in Los Angeles, but Knight was unable to perform after injuring himself on his tour bus. In a since deleted post shared to X, formerly known as Twitter, Knight told fans (via ABC News), "Sorry I won't be on stage tonight. Had an accident on the bus. Banged up my face badly, broke my nose and got a few stitches."
Knight didn't confirm exactly how he injured himself, but did share photos of his scary looking injuries on Instagram. One photo, taken backstage at the NKOTB show, showed that the left side of Knight's face was full of scrapes, while his nose was bloody with a large cut. He then posted a second photo on Instagram that appeared to be taken in selfie mode and only showed one side of his face. Knight looked more serious in that snap, which showed some very sore looking bruises on his face. Thankfully though, despite what we're sure was a pretty traumatic time, Knight made a full recovery from his injuries.
Kirstie Alley's death was extremely difficult for Jonathan Knight
Following the tragic death of Kirstie Alley in December 2022, Jonathan Knight was left absolutely devastated. The singer and TV host was clearly very close with the late "Cheers" actor, as he shared a heart-wrenching tribute to her on his Instagram. Alongside a photo of Alley planting a kiss on his cheek, the singer began his lengthy and poignant message by writing, "My heart is ripped into a million pieces, and half my soul has been taken away... we met and connected in a way one rarely gets to experience with others." He shared that he'd been looking back on the messages and voicemails they exchanged following her passing, while gushing over just how much he loved her. Knight then signed off the emotional upload, "Forever yours, Jonny Boy."
Knight continued to remember his late friend on social media in the months that followed death. In January 2023, he posted a black and white photo with his late friend alongside the caption, "Two crazy kids loving life!!!" A year later, in January 2024, Knight celebrate what would have been Alley's birthday when he posted a shot to Instagram of them on the red carpet.
As a child, Jonathan Knight learned a tough lesson about meat
Though Jonathan Knight is loving life on the farm these days and showing it off "Farmhouse Fixer" with Kristina Crestin, who he actually met years before the show, he had to learn a tough lesson as a kid about what really goes into farming. Knight revealed on X back in 2017 that his family used to keep pigs when he was younger, but he was left heartbroken when he realized the reason why his beloved pets were no longer around. "Pigs are the cutest animals. So smart. Had 2 pigs as a kid and was devastated when they ended up in our freezer. Thought they were our pets," he told his followers in a sobering tweet.
Since then, Knight has done a lot of research to find more humane methods of farming. He told Entertainment Tonight in 2016 that he wasn't happy with some of the practices he'd seen, sharing, "Just seeing how animals are raised and the slaughterhouses freaked me out. I had never thought too much about where meat comes from and was like, 'This is not right.'" It sounds like Knight is practicing what he preaches too, as he shared that he's now a vegetarian.
Jonathan Knight and Harley Rodriguez have had unsuccessful attempts to become parents
Jonathan Knight has been very open about his desire for himself and Harley Rodriguez to become parents, sharing that the two tried for a long time to welcome a child into the world. "We went through the journey for about five years, and it just didn't happen for us," Knight explained on the "Frosted Tips with Lance Bass" podcast. He also opened up about the heartache they went through more than once when their fatherhood attempts didn't work out, particularly as so many same-sex couples they knew were becoming parents. "Going through the process, it's like, 'Today's the day the eggs are being implanted, you're so excited, and you're so happy. And then, you know, a week later it's like, 'No, you're back to square one,'" he said.
But despite sadly not welcoming children of their own yet, it seems Knight and Rodriguez are happy playing the roles of doting uncles. And Knight is clearly an A+ uncle to his brothers and sisters' children. He shared a photo on Instagram in 2022 taken backstage at a New Kids on the Block show that showed him pulling the same page as his nephew, Hunter. Knight wrote in the caption, "Beyond blessed to be able to influence so many nieces and nephews. They range in age from 39 to 7. It is an honor to have so much impact on all their lives!!!" Adorable.