The Secret Nicole Curtis Kept On The Set Of HGTV's Rehab Addict

Nicole Curtis has been on our TV screens redoing homes long before many of the current renovation experts got their start. Her show "Rehab Addict," which takes place in Detroit and Minneapolis, started way back in 2010 on the DIY Network. It became so popular that it landed a primetime spot on HGTV, where it continued until 2018, per IMDb. The DIY Network first discovered Curtis through her realtor profile, per Housely, but would soon learn that her skills reached far beyond selling homes.

Curtis gave her all to "Rehab Addict," showing her true self and dedicating herself to the homes she rehabbed. According to HGTV, she is self-taught and has become skilled at all facets of a home, from real estate to contracting and interior design. But while Curtis only agreed to do the show if the network showed the nitty gritty that occurs during home rehab work, she has tried to keep her personal life a bit more private. In fact, she kept a huge secret while filming that surprised many of her fans.

Nicole Curtis was already a mother when she became a famous face on HGTV and DIY Network. Her son, Ethan, is now in his 20s and was 12 years old when she began filming, per People. While Ethan was not kept a secret from fans, her second son was. In fact, Curtis hid her growing belly all throughout filming (via Good Housekeeping). 

In 2015, while filming "Rehab Addict," Curtis learned she was pregnant with her second baby, a boy she named Harper. But, instead of letting the public know, she instead chose to keep her pregnancy to herself. "I was worried about being judged," she told People. "It was a very difficult time for me. There I was, almost 40, having another child on my own."

Nicole Curtis was able to hide her pregnancy by ensuring she was filmed from the shoulders up and would even hold large items in front of her body when walking around the homes. After Harper was born, Curtis revealed she had been pregnant, but she unfortunately went on to deal with a custody battle with Harper's father and some backlash from the public about her choice to partake in extending breastfeeding (via Good Housekeeping).

Hiding a pregnancy is not something new to TV. According to People, many actors have had to hide their pregnant bellies while filming shows where their characters aren't pregnant themselves. For instance, on "New Girl," the show had Zooey Deschanel's character go through an injury that forced her to use a scooter, which allowed them to hide her pregnancy. Props and oversized clothing are often used as a tool as well to hide pregnancy on TV shows, according to BuzzFeed. 

After taking a pause from her show and her fame back in 2018, via People, Nicole Curtis has officially come back to HGTV with her new series "Rehab Addict Rescue," which premiered in January of 2021, per HGTV. Curtis dealt with a lot of drama during her first 10 years doing "Rehab Addict," including her hidden pregnancy, her custody battle with her son Harper's father, and legal issues, per Good Housekeeping. All of that led the star to take a step back. "I was completely burned out," Curtis told People. "There was so much time in those 10 years where I didn't get to enjoy it at all. I was stressed out."

In her new show, "Rehab Addict Rescue," she helps DIYers fix mistakes they have made and help them to rehab their historic houses into the dream homes they desire. Curtis recently announced on her Instagram that new episodes were to premiere July 13, 2022 on HGTV — but many fans noticed that the show never aired.

While Nicole Curtis recently announced new episodes of her HGTV show, "Rehab Addict Rescue," on Instagram, many fans were quick to notice that the premiere of the show was not listed and was never posted. After comments on her post asking about the show went unanswered, Curtis eventually broke her silence on Instagram. With a mirror selfie in what looks like an airport bathroom, Curtis told fans that there will be no shows, saying, "Before you go looking, no shows tonight. I've recently seen my body, physically and mentall [sic], g [sic] through things I never imagined. I've gone from shock to awe, happiness to sadness, ok to how the f do I get through the next minute and finally to I've survived. For all those reasons, I made a call and said I'm done. Not forever, but until this phase of my life becomes my past.❤️"

Her next post showed that she had jetted off to Paris, a trip that seemed like a spur-of-the-moment getaway. However, for Curtis, it may be more than just a trip to see the Eiffel Tower.

According to Good Housekeeping, Nicole Curtis had a rocky relationship with her youngest son's father, Shane Maguire. After her secret pregnancy, the two split for good and from there, a rough custody battle came about. Maguire filed for joint custody, which he was granted despite Curtis' attempt to modify the agreement by blocking overnight visits until their son, Harper, was two.

In 2018, Curtis and Maguire reached a settlement and shared joint custody of their son, per Radar Online. However, recently, Maguire filed a motion to change the agreement, citing that a lot has changed in their son's life since it was originally put in place. Maguire has asked the courts to modify the agreement to include travel restrictions, ensure Harper does not miss school days without a valid excuse, and to lift social media restrictions. In his modified agreement, he expressed his concern with Curtis taking Harper on red-eye flights on school nights and not informing him of those trips until the last minute.

Curtis shot back, saying that Maguire only wants these modifications to put more control over Curtis and her son. According to Radar Online, the two will head to court in September to discuss the agreement. Here's hoping Paris gives Curtis a bit of a reprieve.