Kody ‘Absolutely’ Wants to Repair Marriage to Janelle, Calls It a ‘Negotiation’ (Exclusive)

When it comes to the status of Kody and Janelle Brown’s marriage on Sister Wives, the estranged pair seem to have a different take on the situation. In ET’s exclusive sneak peek of Sunday’s One-on-One special, the two confirm what viewers previously saw in the trailer — that they’ve been separated for several months.

“Kody and I have separated and I’m happy, really happy,” Janelle tells host Sukanya Krishnan.

Kody seems to be well aware of that fact, adding, “Janelle has made it pretty clear to me that she’s enjoying her life without me.”

When asked if he’s willing to make it work with his wife of nearly 30 years, Kody replies, “Oh yeah, absolutely. Yeah. But I won’t go to a place where I’m not respected because love doesn’t matter to me, respect matters to me.”

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Despite his claim of not caring about love, Kody confirms his separation from Janelle, ruefully adding, “Pretty stupid for people who love each other, huh?”

As for where he sees things moving forward, Kody does not seem willing to be the one to mend fences.

“I want to fix it, yes, but that’s a whole new negotiation,” he says. “We’re in a new place. Christine’s left. Janelle likes her. That’s like, why couldn’t you have been good sister wives when you were sister wives? That’s such a mess.”

Kody is referencing his divorce from his ex, Christine Brown. Christine’s friendship with Janelle served as a point of contention between Kody and Janelle throughout season 17 as Christine’s exit from the family played out.

But Janelle has other issues with her estranged husband.

“It’s mutual,” she says when Sukanya shares that Kody feels “disrespected” by her. “I think it’s a two-way street there. I think if he had truly been watching out for me and my children, he would have figured out a way to make it work for the whole family instead of having his rules and hanging out with the wife, staying where he was respected and obeyed.”

Janelle is referencing Kody’s decision to mostly stay with his wife, Robyn Brown, amid the COVID pandemic — a decision that has cost him his relationships with several of his older children.

“I do [respect Kody], but I’m so mad with what’s happened with our kids that it’s very hard,” Janelle admits. “I’m losing respect for him in that regard.”

She adds that she found herself becoming “indifferent” to their relationship and notes that there’s no longer love between them.

“At this point, no, it’s not. It’s duty. It’s commitment. It’s a faith that tells you you work it out and stick it out. I think if we both really sat down, we’d look at each other and say, ‘Really?’” Janelle says.