The Surprising Reason Nick Lachey Cried When ‘Newlyweds’ Ended

Nick Lachey shed some tears — for an unexpected reason — when his reality TV show Newlyweds with ex-wife Jessica Simpson ended.

Lachey, 51, appeared on the Tuesday, May 27, episode of the Richer Lives podcast and revealed he cried when filming wrapped for the series —which aired from 2003 to 2005 on MTV — because he was sad to say goodbye to the crew.

“I actually came to really love the crew. I remember crying the day we shut down because you develop relationships with them,” he shared. “They really became family.”

The 98 Degrees band member said he was initially told not to interact with the crew, but he wasn’t comfortable with that.

“I remember at first, they were like, ‘Don’t talk to the crew. They’re a fly on the wall!'” he recounted. “And I was like, ‘Guys, if this is ever going to work, that’s just not how I’m wired. You’re not going to be in my house and watch my every move, and we’re not going to talk to each other. We got to get past that right now.’”

The Love Is Blind host added that the success of Newlyweds was “totally unexpected.”

“We had no idea it was going to take on this other life of being this reality-fly-on-the-wall type of show,” he admitted.

Lachey also explained how reality TV gave him an individual identity outside of being a member of the boy band 98 Degrees and helped him become the host he is today.

“What reality TV did for me was allow me to introduce myself as Nick Lachey, the person to the world, and even guys were like, ‘Man, he’s kind of cool. I could have a beer with that guy,'” he said. “It opened up a different world for me as an entertainer because no one ever got to see that side of me before it was just Nick in this boy band, so it allowed me to become very comfortable being myself, which has served me well as a host.”

Lachey and Simpson married in 2002 and divorced in 2006. The show famously showcased the highs and lows of their relationship. Simpson, 44, later wed Eric Johnson in 2014,  before announcing their separation this past January. Lachey tied the knot with his wife, Vanessa, in 2011.