My Big Fat Fabulous Life: Whitney Thore’s Dad’s Big Secret & Other Recent Cast Scandals Explained

Glenn Thore from My Big Fat Fabulous Life has a secret that impacts Whitney Way Thore and the rest of his family. The popular reality TV show began in 2015, and featured Whitney and challenges in her life. At the time, she was nearly 380 pounds, which she attributed to her polycystic ovary syndrome. Whitney struggled a lot due to her size, which impacted all facets of her life, including her relationship. It made it harder to dance, although she still did that. Also, it was a big hurdle in terms of her dreams of becoming a mother. However, Whitney’s come a long way, and she’s embraced a healthier lifestyle.

Whitney’s reality TV gig made her family members, relatives, and friends very popular. One such supporting cast member is her sweet father, Glenn. The 77-year-old North Carolina resident was a loving husband to Whitney’s mom, Babs Thore. Unfortunately, he faced a life-altering moment a few months ago, after his wife passed away due to cerebral amyloid angiopathy. The My Big Fat Fabulous Life star Whitney has since stepped up and cared for Glenn. Whitney’s supports her dad as much as she can. He’d loved and cared for her while working various jobs over the years.

Dad’s Secret Changed Everything (Whitney Has A Long-Lost Half-Sister)

Many scandalous moments have occurred in My Big Fat Fabulous Life over the last eight years. However, a lot of viewers probably didn’t expect season 11 to feature the most mind-bending twist yet. One of the show’s recent episodes showed Whitney discovering a major truth about her charming father, which he’d kept hidden for nearly 40 years. The drama started when Glenn’s sister Kim submitted her DNA profile on an ancestry website. Soon after submission, she got a message from Cody, who claimed Kim was, “very” related to his mother.

As Kim discussed more with Cody, she realized it wasn’t her who was related to Cody’s mother – it was Glenn. Soon after, she discovered that her brother was Angie’s biological father, meaning Whitney has a long-lost half-sister. When Whitney learned the news, she confronted her dad, and he opened up about the whole situation. He shared (via ET), “I met a young woman named Jackie, and we dated.” At the time, Glenn was serving in Pensacola, learning to intercept Russian code. He later got orders to go to Japan, which concluded that relationship.

During Glenn’s stay in Japan, he got a message from Jackie. She revealed that she was pregnant with his baby. However, the supporting cast member of My Big Fat Fabulous Life was serving and couldn’t return. When Jackie’s mother learned about the teenage pregnancy, she was very upset. She put her daughter in a girls’ home, where Angie was born. By the time Glenn finished with his duties, his daughter had already been placed for adoption. Therefore, he moved on with his life until November 2022. He and the rest of the family have since met Angie in person.

Whitney’s Weight Loss Secret Was Heartbreaking

Apart from Glenn’s secret child, another thing that recently must’ve shocked fans was Whitney’s sudden weight loss. The 39-year-old reality star has been dealing with weight issues since she was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome. However, things changed a few months ago, when it was noticed that the My Big Fat Fabulous Life star had significantly slimmed down. In August, it was reported that Whitney had dropped over 70 pounds. However, she didn’t say how she achieved such a big milestone in a matter of months.

As expected, there were theories about Whitney’s sudden weight loss, which spread like wildfire on social media. Some rumors hinted that the reality star dropped the weight by changing her lifestyle. Since Whitney owns a fitness brand, No BS Active, it made sense for her to focus on her health and fitness. Other theories hinted that the My Big Fat Fabulous Life cast member had probably opted for Hollywood’s miracle weight loss drug. Whitney had dealt with weight loss issues for years, so taking something like Ozempic might have explained the change.

Neither of the theories turned out to be true. Whitney recently addressed the sad truth behind her transformation. In September 2023, she shared that her weight loss was neither the result of surgery nor some miracle medication. Instead, it was the side effect of dealing with the grief of losing her mother, Babs. During an interview (via ET), Whitney explained that it was true that she had lost some weight. However, she revealed the tragic reason and added, “people say, like, ‘Is it surgery?’ and I’m like, ‘no, it’s grief, but thanks.”

Babs Thore Hid A Prior Marriage

Whitney and her father Glenn aren’t the only cast members in the news because of controversies. In 2019, Babs dropped a major bombshell when she opened up about her past. The drama began when Whitney and her brother Hunter explored the attic and discovered a photo album. The old photo collection featured many special moments, including a wedding. While Whitney initially assumed it was the marriage ceremony of her mom and dad, she later discovered that the pictures were from Babs’ first marriage. Her mom had kept that hidden from everyone else.

According to Monsters And Critics, Whitney eventually confronted her mother about the album, and her mother confessed. She opened up about her relationship with her former husband, which began when she was 17. Babs shared that she was married to the man for four years but had no kids with him. The pair eventually divorced, which is when Babs found Glenn. Whitney learned various other details about her family at the time. She discovered that her father was once engaged to someone else for just a few hours. The whole segment was quite awkward for everyone, including My Big Fat Fabulous Life viewers.