Jonathan Knight's Love Story: Meeting Harley Rodriguez

How Love Blossomed Between Jonathan Knight and Harley Rodriguez

When you think about epic love stories, Jonathan Knight's tale might just take the cake. Here's the twist: his husband, Harley Rodriguez, had absolutely no idea who he was when they first crossed paths. Can you believe that? This is the kind of story that makes you go, "Wait, what?"

Jonathan, who's now 55, became a household name alongside his brother Jordan Knight as part of the iconic '80s boy band New Kids on the Block. Think of it as the original boy band craze before all the others came along.

Jonathan shared in a candid moment with Entertainment Tonight, "The first night we met, Harley had no clue who I was, and honestly, that’s kind of awesome." This revelation came during a joint interview with his husband on June 18, 2023, during which the couple opened up about their journey together.

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Harley Rodriguez: Not Your Typical NKOTB Fan

Now, you might be wondering, how could anyone not know who Jonathan Knight is? Well, Harley, who's 51, wasn't exactly part of the NKOTB fandom back in the day. He told Entertainment Tonight, "I heard their music on the radio and stuff like that, but I was never a fan. I never went to a concert or anything. It wasn't really my scene."

So how did these two lovebirds meet? Fate had an interesting plan. Jonathan happened to take one of Harley's fitness classes at Barry’s Bootcamp during a break from rehearsing with the band. Sometimes, the best things in life come when you least expect them, right?

Harley recounted the moment, "All of a sudden, we had met. He invited me to his first show at House of Blues in L.A. It was a pre-tour thing. I’m sitting there with a friend, and these girls down on the stage are screaming, crying, holding posters. I turned to my friend and said, 'Is this for real?!' These women were reverting to their 12-year-old selves, which was amazing. But it wasn’t part of my growing up. I was like, 'Oh, they’re big.' And when he showed me all the merchandise, I was like, 'OK, you guys were huge!'"

From Africa to Marriage: A Love Story

After getting engaged in Africa in 2016, Jonathan and Harley quietly tied the knot six years later, keeping the details of their ceremony under wraps. "We did," Jonathan told Entertainment Tonight in August 2022. "But everybody just assumed we’re married, so, I never say yes or no because I don’t wanna lie." As for when the couple would have a larger celebration, Jonathan teased, "It’s coming." Harley even updated his Instagram profile to Harley Knight-Rodriguez, marking the change officially.

Married Life: A Blissful Journey

Both Jonathan and Harley, who competed on The Amazing Race back in 2015, are absolutely loving their married life. "It’s great," Jonathan told Entertainment Tonight in March 2023. "We’ve been together 14 years. It’s nice to find love. We found each other later on in life, which makes it even better. We both understand each other."

Though Jonathan's work on HGTV sometimes means they don't see each other for weeks at a time, their bond remains strong. Harley even makes appearances in Jonathan’s new spinoff show, Farmhouse Fixer: Camp Revamp, where they’ll document renovations on a lakefront campground.

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"Everything we do we’re gearing towards the lake and the lake life," Jonathan shared. "And the good thing is some of these cottages have porches. So, we really wanted to dress them up and give people a place to come and relax. What’s better than taking an afternoon nap on your porch?"

Farmhouse Fixer: Camp Revamp airs on Tuesday nights at 9:00 p.m. ET on HGTV.