There was plenty to unpack during the season 20 premiere of TLC’s “Sister Wives.” Kody Brown returned alongside his wife, Robyn Brown, and ex-wives Meri Brown, Christine Brown Woolley, and Janelle Brown to share life updates. But one of the most emotional moments came when Kody and Janelle’s daughter, Madison Brush, tearfully opened up about her strained relationship with her father.
Madison Brush Gets Emotional Talking About Her Estrangement From Kody Brown
GettyDuring the season 20 premiere of “Sister Wives,” Madison Brush, the daughter of Kody and Janelle Brown, broke down in tears while opening up about her estranged relationship with her father.
Before Brush shared an update on her relationship with Kody, the episode replayed a clip from last season, where Brush told Leon, Meri Brown, and Kody’s child, that she wanted to reconnect with Robyn’s children after the passing of their brother, Garrison Brown, had put some things into perspective.
“You want your dad to show up,” Brush tearfully said. “You want reconciliation. I know I played a part, but I’m angry. And I’m angry because I’m still trying to learn to not be disappointed.”
Brush’s estrangement from her dad became more pronounced following the end of his marriage to Janelle in 2022. In a Nov. 2024 episode of her podcast, “The Authentic Society,” Brush revealed she had no contact with Kody because he did not have “any respect for boundaries.”
Brush then added in her confessional, “I’m still learning how to just see him for who he is. I feel like Leon’s already come to peace with this … I’m trying to understand that maybe he didn’t know how to show up. He might be hurting.”
Will Kody Brown Mend His Relationships With his Former Wives?
GettyDuring the premiere episode, Kody Brown also hoped to fix his fractured relationships with his former wives and children.
“I literally just compartmentalized the heartbreak. I don’t know what to do,” he shared. “I would love healing with every single person I know. I would love healing with Meri, I would love healing with Janelle, I would love healing with Christine. And of course, all of my children.”
He continued, “But I think we are at an impasse here because this healing can only happen on their terms only.”
The episode also showed how both Christine and Meri would appreciate some healing within their family.
“We all need to see each other again when it’s not around a funeral so we can all start to heal a different way,” Christine shared. Meri also shared similar sentiments about their fractured family. “I would absolutely love it. If Kody and I, Robyn and I, if me and Christine, me and Janelle, could just get to a place with each other that we can be kind and civil to each other.”
In the season’s trailer, viewers see Kody meeting with all of his former wives separately and issuing apologies to each of them.
