“Sister Wives” star Kody Brown’s exit from the hit TLC show was announced in September 2026, ahead of its 21st season. Now, in an emotional interview, Janelle Brown says she learned of his and Robyn Brown’s exit by email.
Janelle Brown Was Caught Off Guard By Kody’s ‘Sister Wives’ Exit
Season 21 of “Sister Wives” began with Kody noticeably absent, marking the first time since the show’s debut when he wasn’t featured. Recently, Janelle spoke to PEOPLE and revealed how she learned of his and Robyn’s exits.
“I actually got an email that they weren’t coming back, and I’m like, ‘Oh, wow. Okay,'” she began. “I haven’t talked to them since, well, since we were all together after we sold the property, and I don’t know anything about what’s going on in their lives. And so yeah, I’m like, ‘Okay, I guess this is what we’re doing now.'”
Notably, in “Sister Wives” season 20, Janelle, Kody, and Meri Brown sold their shared Coyote Pass property in Arizona.
“It felt like the end of an era, but also too, I feel like going forward now, there’s so many beautiful things happening for all of us. And I think it’s nice that we can focus on that and not so much all the conversations that were happening because of things that Kody would say,” the 57-year-old added.
In sharing the reaction her kids had to the news of Kody leaving the show, she revealed they were “surprised.” However, she added, “But again, most of my children don’t really have a relationship with their father, so it was kind of just news really.”
Still, despite being estranged from her ex and Robyn, Janelle is hopeful for their well-being before saying, “I only know as much as you do probably, because I really only know them through what I hear from people, but yeah, it was a surprise.”
She was then asked if she’d deleted the email that revealed Kody had left the show. Janelle responded, “I might have. I didn’t care.”
What Kody Brown Has Said About His Exit
The “Sister Wives” season 21 trailer was released in September 2026. The clip began with the announcement, “After 16 years of filming Sister Wives, Kody & Robyn will not be returning to the show.”
After that, the show returned in October, shifting its focus to only Janelle, Meri, and Christine Brown. It should also be noted that in September, Kody is alleged to have posted and deleted a message on Instagram.
Per TVShowAce, it said, “We are no longer interested in the narrative that is being shared and have decided our peace cannot be bought.”
Additionally, during a 2025 appearance on “The Viall Files,” Kody spoke about him and Robyn retiring from reality TV.
“I’d like to retire my wife, Robyn, from reality television so they can’t pit us against each other now. We’re solid. … I like to talk about my wife, who is shy, who doesn’t want me talking about her, but she’s my favorite person in the world,” he said.
“The thing about reality TV that is so dangerous for loving families is they’re looking for the rub, the grind, the tension. They’re looking for that, and if you play into that, you can be with your best friend and start looking critical. You can be with your wife and start looking critical or be criticized,” the former “Sister Wives” star added.
Janelle Brown Reveals How She Found Out About Kody’s Shock ‘Sister Wives’ Exit