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The real reason why 'Sister Wives’ star Kody Brown denied Meri a 'sexual relationship': "She's not..."

Despite years of therapy and attempted reconciliation, Kody admitted that they just couldn't find the 'spark' again.

Sister Wives star Kody Brown once revealed how his first wife Meri Brown's 2015 catfishing scandal influenced his decision to never rekindle a sexual relationship with her again. In an episode, Kody opened up about the emotional distance between them; a gap that only widened after the scandal. Meri, Kody’s wife of over three decades, was deceived by a woman posing as a man online— a betrayal that shook their relationship to its core. Despite years of therapy and attempted reconciliation, Kody admitted that they just couldn't find the 'spark' again.

As per the Daily Mail, at the time, he noted, “Meri and I had problems like this long before [sister wife] Janelle even came into the family…But the catfishing [scandal] was what really woke us up to the state of our situation…We went through a couple of years, a lot of counseling, figuring things out, and as we went through this process, I am looking for a spark – something to initiate some form of desire for a relationship with each other…And in this time, it has never manifested.” 

Meri tried repeatedly to repair their marriage, expressing her longing for connection. She once shared, “He has said to me, ‘You just need to make it known. You need to flirt with me.’ And so I try those things and he backs off more, so I back off more. I was like, ‘Oh, that didn’t work. That was uncomfortable.’ You know?” Despite her efforts, Kody argued, “She is not making any effort. I am not making any effort. Where do you think that puts us?... She was to be loved romantically – then there has to be a spark for that.”

The pair’s 30th anniversary ‘celebration’ encapsulated their fractured bond. Though Meri attempted to flirt and engage with Kody, her advances were met with rejection. She remarked at the time, "I am just playing around with Kody. I am just trying to flirt with him. I don't know...to me, this is a rejection. He is really just not interested." Despite the turmoil, Kody refused to divorce given their spiritual beliefs, as reported by People magazine.

He said, “There is always a chance that we might actually get back together into full fellowship." However, his actions suggested otherwise. At the same time, Kody dismissed the notion of physical intimacy without an emotional connection, stating, “Romance and sex are saved — in my world — for people who are in love.” Fast forward to 2022, Meri ended her marriage with Kody after 32 years of marriage and a child together. Meri went on to date a 'good-looking guy' called Amos but called it quits four months later. The Sister Wives star is single at the moment and is not dating anybody 'exclusively'.