Something About HGTV Stars Mike Jackson & Egypt Sherrod's Marriage Always Felt Off

"Married to Real Estate" is one of HGTV's most beloved shows, and for anyone questioning whether the HGTV fake drama applies here, rest assured this show keeps it real. Its stars, husband-and-wife duo Mike Jackson and Egypt Sherrod, are also one of the most popular pairs across the network, though something has always felt a bit off about their marriage.

The two seem just as in love with each other as their fans are with them. In fact, Sherrod took to Instagram in September 2024 to celebrate their 14th wedding anniversary. "We did it! We are doing it! And there is no question in my heart if I made the right choice in marrying you," she wrote. "The answer is always YES a thousand times again. 14 years of marriage and 20 years of doing this life together, 3 beautiful daughters, a tribe of friends and family, and a friendship that is unwavering."

However, things have been far from perfect for Jackson and Sherrod behind the scenes, and unlike some celeb couples, they've never pretended otherwise. Over the years, the spouses have spoken openly about some of the difficulties they endured before and after tying the knot. For example, they actually get tired of each other now and again. "We're best buds too. So we have a lot of fun together," Sherrod shared with Inman in March 2023. "There's some days where I'm like, 'Oh my gosh, I need a break from you!'" She added, "It's just as you would imagine with anybody who lives and works with someone. You have your days, you have your moments, but most of the time, it's pretty fantastic." But this isn't the only imperfect aspect of their relationship.

Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson may be happy today, but they struggled through the start of their romance, partly because of Sherrod's pre-existing relationship baggage. During an episode of "Black Love," Sherrod, who worked in the radio industry before joining HGTV, revealed that she allowed negativity from her previous suitors to color her romance with Jackson. "Even when we're done with the relationship, we still carry those bruises with us," Sherrod shared during the episode, XO Necole wrote. "It wasn't until he called me out on my mess and told me, 'You are taking it out on me — everything from every other guy that did you wrong and you're gonna run Mr. Right off.'"

Mike and Sherrod also once struggled to prioritize their relationship and family. "That's the tricky part and we're still honestly trying to figure it out because everything is so integrated," Sherrod shared with Her Agenda. "We are always trying to strike that delicate balance instead of a point where we do have to compartmentalize things. Because sometimes when you're in the workspace and you're both perfectionists, things can get tense at times, which is natural because you want to make sure you put out a good product." And while they have managed to leave the work talk at work, business still finds its way into their dinnertime conversations, forcing the two to temporarily push their work to the back burner.

Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson had checked all the boxes for their big day, such as paying their deposits, when they decided to postpone their wedding only two weeks before the date. "Talk about being embarrassed," she said during "Black Love." After speaking to her pastor, who advised the couple to avoid rushing into their nuptials if they weren't ready, they took a step back and married a year later. As for one of their problems? Jackson's ex-wife. "He had to learn how to deal with her on terms where she wasn't dictating when and how and why he would behave, when he could see, and when he could talk, to their daughter," she explained. However, she also had jitters that weren't related to Jackson's previous marriage. "I couldn't release all that baggage until we did some praying together."

Though the couple has obviously come a long way, their relationship still isn't perfect. In an October 2024 Instagram video, Sherrod revealed one of the more trivial matters they've disagreed on during their marriage: Surprises for their children. According to Sherrod, the plan was for her and Jackson to surprise their children with a special outing. However, she learned during the ride to their destination that Jackson had already told one of their daughters about the plan behind her back. "Moms!!! Anyone else go through this? After a week of planning a surprise for the kids that we BOTH agreed would be a surprise," she captioned the post. Even worse, he decided to give her the silent treatment. 

Fortunately, Sherrod defused the tension with laughter.