The Truth About Todd Chrisley's Relationship With Savannah Chrisley
Do you feel like Todd and Savannah Chrisley are your personal friends? Reality television has a way of making viewers at home feel like they really know the people on screen. By showing reality stars' day-to-day lives, a program can give fans unfiltered access to someone's personal life, and that's pretty exciting. As for the Chrisley family of Chrisley Knows Best, starring on a reality show means dealing with their fair share of critics, but it also highlights just how close of a family they are. And they're really, really close.
Perhaps one of the closest relationships that Chrisley Knows Best highlights is that between patriarch Todd and his youngest daughter, Savannah. The two are often seen laughing together, and both have a tendency to appreciate the finer things in life. That said, the truth about Todd's relationship with Savannah is that not only are the two quite tight, they're practically inseparable, and have the kind of father-daughter relationship that Hallmark holiday movies are made of.
Savannah Chrisley is Todd Chrisley's youngest daughter
Part of the appeal of Chrisley Knows Best is that the Chrisley family is very large, very loud, and very southern. Their accents aside, though, the Chrisley family is a little complicated to keep track of. First, you have Todd Chrisley, who's married to Julie Chrisley. Then there's Todd's mom, Nanny Faye Chrisley, and his two children from his first marriage, Kyle and Lindsie Chrisley. Then, there are Todd's children from his marriage to Julie: Chase, Savannah, and Grayson Chisley. Finally, there's Chloe Chrisley, Todd and Julie's granddaughter.
Savannah obviously holds a special place in Todd's heart. So special, in fact, that for Savannah's 23rd birthday celebration, Todd wrote a heartfelt Instagram caption to go alongside a hilarious photo of Savannah bundled up like a giant baby. "23 years ago today was one of the happiest days of my life," he gushed. "It has been my blessing to be your dad."
Even as Savannah gets older, her relationship with Todd remains special and strong. The two clearly share a unique bond, due in part to Savannah's being the youngest daughter, and the only daughter with whom Todd has an actual relationship.
Todd and Savannah Chrisley are basically best friends
If you've ever seen an episode of Chrisley Knows Best, then you know that Todd and Savannah Chrisley typically plot together, hang out a ton, and are basically best friends. But even if you haven't watched the reality show, you can tell they have a special bond just by checking out Savannah's social media. While many teenage girls and women in their early twenties deem it "uncool" to hang with their dad, Savannah doesn't.
In one Instagram post in honor of Father's Day in 2020, Savannah shared a montage of photos of her and Todd throughout the years, explaining that they'd always been close. "I look back on my life and realize that we were pretty much ALWAYS inseparable!" she wrote in the caption. "I thank God every day for giving me a father who has always been there and who has never waivered."
Savannah's post for that special day was just one example of the bond the two share, but there's no denying the fact that she and Todd consider each other friends as well as family.
Todd Chrisley didn't want Savannah Chrisley to date at first
Because Todd Chrisley and his youngest daughter, Savannah Chrisley, have a special bond and connection, it's no wonder that Todd was a little put off by the fact that Savannah was getting old enough to date. As his special little girl, Todd wasn't very pleased when Savannah introduced him to her first real boyfriend back in 2015. Specifically, during one episode of Chrisley Knows Best, Savannah is nervous for her dad to meet her special friend at the time.
As Todd said in the episode, "I have gone 17 years without Savannah having anything more than a boy as a friend, and I can go 17 more." Then, when his wife, Julie Chrisley, pointed out that Savannah would be almost 40 by then, Todd simply stated, "No, just wait a lifetime." Obviously, Todd was just a little flustered, but his words and thoughts about Savannah's love life just go to show that he's very protective of his daughter.
Savannah Chrisley credits Todd Chrisley for her own business savvy
When you watch Chrisley Knows Best, it becomes abundantly clear that the Chrisley family isn't exactly strapped for cash. While they might not be the richest family out there, they certainly have done well for themselves. From Todd Chrisley's various real estate investments to his business ventures, it looks like Todd has provided for his family extremely well.
Additionally, it seems that Todd's business savvy has been passed on to his youngest daughter, Savannah Chrisley, who's undergone a stunning transformation. In 2017, the southern belle launched her first line with HSN, and she credits her dad for supporting her through it all. In an interview with People, Savannah explained how her dad has been a huge part of her career. "He has been absolutely amazing," she gushed. "My dad has been the biggest supporter of me throughout. He's my best friend and without him I couldn't have made it happen." She added that he very much loves all of the garments in her fashion line. Like father, like daughter it seems.
Todd Chrisley hasn't always approved of Savannah Chrisley's relationships
Todd Chrisley obviously had to adjust to the fact that his youngest daughter, Savannah Chrisley, was ready to date when she turned 17. It wasn't easy, but he eventually got used to it. And while Todd might have come around to the idea of Savannah dating, that doesn't mean he didn't have his opinions on her boyfriends. Specifically, Todd hasn't always approved of Savannah's relationships, and that's putting it lightly.
Back in 2017, Savannah dated NBA player Luke Kennard for a few months, and it was clear that Todd wasn't happy about the relationship. Father knows best after all, at least that's what Todd thinks. In an interview with People, Todd explained that while he was fond of Kennard in some ways, he didn't like the way he treated his daughter. "The ex is a young guy, NBA, made a lot of money, and he's doing exactly what NBA players do," Todd said. "I mean, hell, when you crawl into bed with a snake, don't b*tch when it bites." Ouch. Clearly, Todd did not like Savannah's ex.
Savannah Chrisley appreciates Todd Chrisley
Whether or not you're a fan of Todd Chrisley or Chrisley Knows Best, you can't deny that the patriarch has done a lot for his children. He's provided for them in more ways than one, and his daughter Savannah Chrisley seems to be especially appreciative of it. After all, the pair are two peas in a pod, so it's not surprising that Savannah recognizes that Todd is an extraordinary father, who goes above and beyond the call of duty.
In an Instagram post for Father's Day 2018, Savannah touched on her dad's ability to lift her spirits and give his all. "He is ALWAYS there to put a smile on our faces even when he is worn out and exhausted," she wrote. "If he felt down...we never knew it. He gave his all to protect and love us."
Parents do their best to give their children everything, and Todd is no exception; Savannah sees how much he sacrificed for her because the two have a relationship like no other. And that's another thing she pointed out in her post, writing that they've "always had a different connection." Ugh, so sweet.
Todd Chrisley has been a helicopter parent with Savannah Chrisley
When you have a father-daughter relationship as close as Todd and Savannah Chrisley, it's not exactly surprising that Todd has been described as a helicopter parent of sorts. Even though the patriarch learned to let go of Savannah when it came to dating, when it comes to life in general, he had a harder time pulling back.
For instance, in one episode of Chrisley Knows Best, Savannah jetted off to serve as the Event Director for the Miss California USA Pageant. But Todd had a hard time letting Savannah spread her wings. "Savannah has worked so hard, but she's green, so I know at some point she's going to need my expertise," he told the cameras (via PopCulture).
But then, Todd had a tough realization. "You know that I have always been there for her, now I'm realizing, what am I supposed to be doing if I'm not doing everything for them?" he wondered. Hey, at least Todd recognized that he was hovering a little too close to Savannah's life.
Todd Chrisley got overly involved in Savannah Chrisley's wedding planning at one point
Big milestones tend to come quickly when you have a bunch of kids, but since Todd and Savannah Chrisley share such a special relationship, there was one that was especially momentous. On Christmas Eve 2018, Savannah and Todd's lives changed when she got engaged to boyfriend Nic Kerdiles. The couple shared an intense relationship, full of ups and downs, but they eventually called it quits in September 2020, putting an end to the wedding planning that had consumed Todd (via E! News).
When Savannah and Nic ended things, she was obviously sad. However, Todd might have been even more upset as he was the one who planned the three-day wedding weekend. But even Todd eventually realized he had gotten overly involved in his daughter's wedding planning. "[My dad] then took a step back and was like, 'You know what, if this is what's best for you, I stand by you, and whatever decision you want to make is what we're going to do,'" Savannah told Entertainment Tonight. Sad as it might be, at least Savannah has her dad to handle any future wedding planning needs.
Fans have suggested Todd and Savannah Chrisley are too close
Todd Chrisley is certainly a bit of a helicopter parent, especially when it comes to Savannah Chrisley. But it's not as if Todd doesn't think anyone is good enough for Savannah, or that he actually expects her to live at home forever. In all honesty, Todd has been pretty good about keeping some distance between himself and his youngest daughter, but not everyone agrees with that sentiment.
In fact, as TV Shows Ace reported, some fans have commented that Todd has an unhealthy obsession with Savannah. "AMEN, his relationship with Savannah is as creepy as Trump and Ivanka," one fan commented on an Instagram post. "I quit watching after I found out all the crap he did to his other daughter. So sad and people think he's such a great father," another added, referring to Todd's complicated relationship with his oldest daughter, Lindsie.
Todd might seem to favor Savannah, but as to whether he has a creepy obsession with her, that's a bit more complex.
Todd Chrisley denies that Savannah Chrisley is his favorite child
It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Todd Chrisley's relationship with Savannah Chrisley is pretty sweet. The pair have made it abundantly clear that they have a special relationship, but as a father of five, Todd has also made it a point to not have any favorites — or at least, not to let any one child think that they're the favorite. Yes, even Savannah.
As unbelievable as that sounds, during an episode of Chrisley Knows Best, both Savannah and Chase Chrisley put Todd to the test, literally. In the episode, Todd took a lie detector test so his kids could clear some things up. During the polygraph, Savannah asked, "Is Savannah your favorite child?" And Todd's response? "No," he said, while Savannah looked at the results to see that he wasn't lying. "He told the truth? That's heartbreaking," she said.
Even Savannah assumed that she was her father's favorite child, but Todd, the true superdad, was quick to nip that right in the bud (via E! News).
Savannah Chrisley's car crash scared Todd Chrisley to death
No parent ever wants to experience any sort of life-or-death situation when it comes to their children; having their kids hurt, sick, or injured is probably the worst thing a parent can go through. But for Todd Chrisley, that fear become a reality when Savannah was in a horrible car crash in 2017, and it rattled Todd's world (via People).
As Todd told People, getting the news that Savannah had been in a wreck was a horrific moment for him. As he explained, he got a phone call later in the evening, and he knew just from that fact that it wasn't good news. "It was the highway patrol and they said my daughter was in an accident and that I need to go to the hospital," Todd revealed. "I literally fell to my knees. The fear was so crippling at that point."
Obviously, Savannah recovered just fine, but that moment will likely live on in Todd's memory forever; his love for Savannah will never die, and neither will the fear that comes with being a parent.
Savannah Chrisley has defended Todd Chrisley
As pretty much all of the Chrisley family lives their life in the public eye, it makes sense that they all have to deal with a lot of opinions and a lot of trolls on social media. Sadly, when Savannah Chrisley ended her relationship and engagement with Nic Kerdiles, she got flack for allowing her dad to get too involved in her relationship. But Savannah has defended her dad, and denied that Todd Chrisley had anything to do with her relationship ending.
Specifically, on an episode of the Chrisley Confessions podcast, Savannah set the record straight. "At the end of the day, everyone loves to portray dad as this controlling freak and that's the reason my relationship didn't work out," she said, according to E! News. "That is false. Nic will tell you that as well."
Savannah didn't have any time to deal with people making nasty assumptions about her dad, and the fact that she took the time to make that clear shows how close the two are.
Todd Chrisley has protected Savannah Chrisley against internet trolls
As hilarious, charming, and entertaining as Todd Chrisley is, in real life and especially on Chrisley Knows Best, one rumor has followed him around for years now. Todd's sassy attitude, appreciation of fine clothing, and some of his mannerisms have caused many people to say that he's gay, something he's grown accustomed to and that clearly doesn't bother him anymore. But when trolls come after his daughter, that's where Todd draws the line.
According to an Instagram post from Todd himself, a random person on social media messaged Savannah and called her out for getting Botox — and used a derogatory slur about her dad. However, Todd wasn't having it. In his post, he shared the screenshots of the messages, and wrote his response in the caption. "You have some nerve to come at my daughter but after reviewing your profile, I see where the jealousy comes from," Todd shared. "Sweety if jabbing her about Botox is the best you got, then you are weak." Todd ended the reply with a PS, saying that the slur went "out with bell bottoms." Yes, Todd. Yes it did.
Todd Chrisley was rooting for Savannah Chrisley's relationship with Nic Kerdiles to work out
Despite Todd Chrisley's tendency to be a tad overbearing when it comes to Savannah Chrisley's dating life, he was really happy with her previous relationship. More than that, he was rooting for things to work out between them, and it appeared as though Todd thought of Savannah's now-ex, Nic Kerdiles, as family.
In an Instagram post from when the two were dating, Todd wrote, "a father of a daughter always hopes with all his heart that one day a young man of character and integrity will come along and make his daughter smile, laugh, and have faith in the future." He added that Kerdiles did exactly that.
Obviously, Todd was a fan of Kerdiles. So when he and Savannah broke up, he was pretty distraught. In fact, he even responded to a fan's comment saying they missed Kerdiles. "We all do," Todd replied, according to Life & Style. However, Todd also added that "God places us all where we are supposed to be," perhaps signaling that he knew the breakup was for the best.