The Richest TLC Stars Might Surprise You
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Reality television now comes in all shapes and sizes, and perhaps one of the true pioneers of the genre is TLC. The TLC network not only serves up reality dating shows, fashion networking, and cooking programs, but the specific branding of shows — showcasing ordinary people living extraordinary lives — has carved out a space in entertainment all its own. Where else can you watch toddlers compete in pageants, cakes being made into a realistic dragon sculpture, people weighing more than 1,000 pounds navigating life, and couples with 10 children or more trying to get through the day? Season after season of shows like "Sister Wives," "Little People, Big World," and "1000-LB Sisters" is just the tip of the TLC iceberg, and many reality stars have the network to thank for launching their successful careers.
From previously beloved stars who have been transformed into public enemies — like Jon Gosselin, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, Kody Brown, and more — to fan favorites like Randy Fenoli and Stacy London, TLC really is the gift that keeps on giving. Given the bank accounts of some of its stars, it's safe to say those who have found fame through the network think the same thing. Of all the stars who have come and gone thanks to shows like "90 Day Fiancé" or "Say Yes To The Dress," some have out-earned others. These are the richest TLC stars — and some might surprise you.
Matt Roloff has a staggering bank account
TLC wouldn't be TLC without "Little People, Big World." The immensely popular show has been on the network since 2006, giving viewers insight into the world of Matt Roloff and Amy Knight, who both live with dwarfism. For Roloff, the show has served as a launching point for many different aspects of his career, and he has certainly benefited financially.
As noted by Celebrity Net Worth, Roloff was born in San Francisco to two parents who are of regular height — they do not live with diastrophic dysplasia as the TLC star does. His younger brother, Sam, was also born with the condition, and his youngest brother Joshua died from a congenital heart condition. Roloff navigated life as a businessman, and in 2006 he found himself on television as one of the two main stars of "Little People, Big World." He would soon find a number of professional opportunities at his disposal, as he served as the executive producer of the show and its six-episode spinoff and specials.
In addition to his on-screen career, Roloff now works as a public speaker, having given talks at the Kids Included Together international conference on Inclusion, the Association of Legal Administrators' conference, and a number of universities. His hard work and TLC career paid off in a big way, and Roloff is estimated to have a net worth of $6 million.
Stacy London has a dazzling net worth
Raise your hand if you watched "What Not To Wear" religiously with your mom during weekend afternoons and days when you played hooky from school. The hit TLC show — which focused on a different subject (usually female) each episode and their soon-to-be-transformed wardrobe — was a smash hit, and it's no secret as to why. Hosts Stacy London and Clinton Kelly were judgy, specific, yet incredibly supportive, and it was super entertaining to watch them literally trash a guest's pre-existing wardrobe on-camera.
London was the perfect person to dish out fashion wisdom. Her sleek appearance on TLC — coupled with her iconic strand of gray hair framing her face in an otherwise all-black look — made her fashion advice that much more compelling. When the show did come to an end in 2013, it was a sad day for millennial kids everywhere who watched the programming like it was their fashion bread and butter.
After her decade-long run on TLC, London turned her attention to the consulting world. She has worked as a fashion consultant and magazine editor, as noted by Celebrity Net Worth. She has also made it big on the lecture circuit, giving talks about self-esteem and how it specifically relates to style and how people present themselves. She even gave a keynote lecture at Harvard.
London's net worth reflects a career of hard work — she has $8 million to her name.
90 Day Fiancé star Darcey Silva has a lot of money at her disposal
Perhaps one of TLC's greatest programming accomplishments is "90 Day Fiancé." Following international couples as they navigate the K-1 visa process and all the complications that come from cultural differences, language barriers, skeptical families, and more. The show's success has spawned a number of spinoffs, including "Before the 90 Days," which shows couples before they have started the process to obtain a K-1 visa.
Now a household name, Darcey Silva financially benefited from her first stint on the show. As noted by The Cinemaholic, she made about $15,000 per season and $2,500 for taking part in the reunion episode. From there, she was a figure on a number of seasons, which boosted her name recognition and finances. If the "90 Day" franchise wasn't enough, Darcey also stars in another show called "Darcey & Stacey," which documents her life alongside her twin sister, Stacey Silva.
In addition to her lucrative TLC career, Darcey owns and operates a clothing line called House of 11, YourTango notes. The boutique has a number of high-profile followers, including Nicki Minaj and Demi Lovato, proving that Darcey's influence has grown quite considerably. So has her net worth — The Cinemaholic clocks it at $2 million.
Randy Fenoli's net worth is eyebrow-raising
There truly would not be "Say Yes To the Dress" without Randy Fenoli. Sure, there'd be Kleinfeld Bridal and bridal consultants and the owners of the high-end salon, but Randy brings a personality, expert touch, and pizzazz to the show like glorious icing on an otherwise pretty neutral cake. New York's Kleinfeld has just about the most expensive and luxurious bridal gowns, and an expert in Randy to make every bride's dreams come true. His expertise is truly hallowed, and when things go south during an appointment, viewers can count on him to turn things around.
As noted by Celebrity Net Worth, Randy debuted in the fashion world in 1990 when he won the Miss Gay America contest. Using the prize money to put himself through the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, Randy quickly became a fashion designer and later the fashion director at Kleinfeld. He first hit screens via TLC's "Say Yes To the Dress" in 2007 and went on to host "Say Yes To the Dress: Randy Knows Best" starting in 2011. "Say Yes To the Dress" is still on the air as of publication.
Randy's net worth is reflective of not only a television personality who has been on-screen for more than a decade, but also a creative on the cutting edge of bridal fashion. Celebrity Net Worth estimates Randy's yearly salary to be $3 million, with his total net worth equating to $8 million.
The Long Island Medium has a hefty bank account
No matter what you think about some of the programming on TLC, you have to admit — it's all highly entertaining. From polygamist marriages to toddlers competing in pageants to insane cake decorating, there's something for everyone. And if spirits, talking to those beyond the grave, and all things just a tad spooky is your thing, there's a good chance you've watched "Long Island Medium." Following Theresa Caputo and her family, the show brings Caputo's skill as a medium — i.e., speaking to those who have died — to the forefront. The show dropped on TLC in 2011 and has aired 14 seasons as of publication, making Caputo a star in her own right.
"Long Island Medium" has had its own history of controversy. Celebrity Net Worth notes that a number of skeptics have emerged since Caputo's rise to fame, with some claiming that she is skilled at "cold reading" people. The episode that focused on the family members of some victims of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center was of particular controversy, as some deemed Caputo's involvement as a stunt. Still, others see her as a true medium who can speak to those who have departed this world.
No matter what you think of her, the "Long Island Medium" star has made quite the name and reputation for herself, not to mention an impressive bank account. Celebrity Net Worth notes that Caputo is worth about $3 million.
The Cake Boss is worth a pretty penny
No one does cakes like the Cake Boss, and TLC quickly picked up on that sentiment. "Cake Boss," starring the one and only Italian-American chef Buddy Valastro, was a hit thanks to the star's larger-than-life personality and amazing creations. The owner of the now renowned Carlo's Bakery, Valastro became synonymous with amazing baking creations. His success on TLC led to a variety of spinoffs, including "Cake Boss: Next Great Baker," "Buddy's Bakery Rescue," and "Kitchen Boss." But it's the original "Cake Boss" programming that still has people talking today.
Valastro hit the network in 2009, Celebrity Net Worth notes, and Season 1 of "Cake Boss" had an average of 2.3 million viewers. A decade later, the show found a new home on Discovery Family and reached an amazing threshold — 200 episodes and counting.
Valastro has been in the news for other reasons besides his amazing skill and on-screen success. In 2020, the chef was using his at-home bowling alley when his right hand met a tragic accident thanks to a metal rod in the pinsetter. He has since had five surgeries and has regained about 75% of his hand use and strength. Valastro still has a stunning net worth despite a personal setback — Celebrity Net Worth estimates his bank balance at a cool $10 million.
Jen Arnold and Bill Klein have a big bank account
After "Little People, Big World" made a splash on TLC, the network decided to pursue more programming telling the stories of those living with a form of dwarfism. For Jen Arnold — one half of the success of "The Little Couple" — her life with spondylo-epiphyseal dysplasia resulted in her standing at just 3'2”. Fans were instantly hooked on the couple's life in Houston, Texas — and just like that, a new TLC hit show was born.
As noted by Celebrity Net Worth, Arnold and her husband, Bill Klein, were introduced to the viewers of TLC in a standalone special entitled, "Little People: Just Married." The episode dropped in March 2009, and the first season of their titular show followed shortly after. Telling the story of the couple's experience during childbirth, at work, and on family vacations, among other activities, "The Little Couple" found huge success among viewers. The show ran for more than a decade — with a hiatus in 2016 — making Arnold and Klein household names.
Their life hasn't been incredibly easy, however — and not just due to being followed around by cameras or navigating life with a specific medical condition. Arnold suffered from a rare cancer after losing a pregnancy, sharing the experience with their viewers. Hardships, television, and fame have made this couple fan favorites, and Arnold and Klein have a collective $3.5 million to their name.
Kody Brown is pretty rich for a man known for having four wives
Programming on TLC runs the gamut, showing everything from incredibly sheltered, religious families to parents essentially selling their children into the pageant circuit. If nothing else, TLC offers a window into lives that viewers would otherwise not know much about. One such program was "Sister Wives," which documents the life of Kody Brown and his wives. When the show first dropped on TLC in 2010, Kody — a polygamist living in the state of Utah — had three wives all living under one roof. With time, Kody made his intentions clear about marrying a fourth woman, wife Robyn, and the show captured the very large and blended family moving out of Utah due to the legal case lodged against them by the state.
Kody was only ever legally married to one woman, with his other unions being described as "spiritual." "Sister Wives" continued to follow the Browns as they moved, occupying separate houses for each wife and their subsequent children. It also shows the complications that came with so many different interests, motivations, and needs. Of course, any regular viewer knows that Kody's marriages with Meri, Janelle, and Christine have all crumbled in some capacity, and yet Kody still has a large profile and net worth to his name. Celebrity Net Worth notes that the "Sister Wives" star is worth about $800,000.
Clinton Kelly has a stunning net worth
Where there's Stacy London, there's Clinton Kelly. The dynamic duo brought charm, charisma, a hint of judgment, and lessons in self-empowerment to the screen in TLC's hit show "What Not To Wear," and their relationship was just as fruitful off-screen. Before collaborating with London, Kelly was a communications major and graduate student at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, focusing on a career in magazine writing and editing, per Celebrity Net Worth. Contributing to the likes of the Daily News Record, Mademoiselle, and Marie Claire, Kelly made the jump from print to screen thanks to QVC, and from there found his way to TLC and London's side.
Kelly and London hosted "What Not To Wear" from 2003 until 2013, and in 2011 Kelly also started co-hosting the hit food network "The Chew." The fashion expert teamed up with London for yet another joint venture, with the two releasing a book together in addition to Kelly's previous self-written works. His work in television and print mediums has bolstered Kelly's overall net worth, and while we don't see him on television as much as we used to, the former TLC host is sitting pretty on $4 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Amy Knight has a nice sum of money at her disposal
While some TLC shows come and go, others stand the test of time and garner a huge fan base. One such program is "Little People, Big World," which starred Amy Knight. Amy and her former husband, Matt Roloff, hit the TLC airwaves with their four children, showing what life was really like as two people with dwarfism. Their hit show has continued to air, and there have been 373 episodes as of publication.
Amy not only financially benefited from "Little People, Big World," but she and Matt also turned their farm located in Helvetia, Oregon into a public attraction. Open for the Halloween and fall pumpkin season, the farmhouse features underground tunnels, a pirate ship, a mine shaft, and a castle. The couple also has their own pumpkin salsa company called Roloff Farms Salsa.
Although Amy and Matt announced their intent to divorce in 2015 after 26 years of marriage, their TLC show and name recognition continue to this day. As for Amy, she moved on and got engaged to real estate agent Chris Marek in 2019. Celebrity Net Worth puts Amy's individual net worth at $6 million.
Jim Bob Duggar is a multimillionaire
Stars of "19 Kids and Counting," the Duggars dominated TLC for years, becoming synonymous with the network and the variety of programming it offered viewers. For those of you living under a rock, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar — and, of course, their 19 children — made a splash on the network in 2008, bringing viewers into their lives as a family of 21. Not only did the Duggars have a small army of children, but they raised their kids within a devout Baptist faith, homeschooled their brood, and imposed extremely strict rules on everything from birth control to movies and television shows to dating and intimacy. "19 Kids and Counting" became TLC's most popular show ever, bringing in more than two million viewers in the final season, Celebrity Net Worth notes.
Of course, the Duggar dynasty came to an abrupt end in 2015 when Josh Duggar — Jim Bob and Michelle's eldest son — was accused of molesting girls at the age of 15, including some of his sisters. "19 Kids and Counting" was promptly taken off the air, and Josh subsequently faced charges and sentencing. Despite the hit to the family's reputation, Jim Bob himself still holds a significant net worth, thanks to all that time spent on the air. Celebrity Net Worth has his bank account estimated at $3.5 million.