Honestly, if you’ve been following the latest Jessica Simpson news, you know the headlines are basically a whirlwind. One second she’s a business mogul, the next she’s a single mom navigating a high-profile split, and then—out of nowhere—she’s back in a recording studio singing about tuna. It’s a lot to keep up with.
People love to put her in a box. They see the blonde hair and the reality TV past and assume they know the whole story. But if you look closer at what’s actually happening in her world right now, especially as we kick off 2026, it’s way more nuanced than the tabloid snippets suggest. She’s essentially in the middle of a massive "2.0" era that's about reclaiming her name, her health, and her independence.
The Big Split and the "Bachelorette" Rumors
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: her separation from Eric Johnson. They announced they were going their separate ways in January 2025 after ten years of marriage. It was a shocker for fans who viewed them as one of the "stable" Hollywood couples. Since then, the paparazzi have been relentless.
Just this week, reporters caught up with her at LAX—which seems to be where she gives all her best updates these days—and asked point-blank if she’d ever join The Bachelorette. Her response was classic Jess. "I have options. I'm good."
Short. Sweet. A little bit spicy.
She isn't looking for a produced TV romance. She told InStyle that while dating has been a "rough road," she isn’t even on the apps yet. She’s focusing on being a single mom to Maxwell (13), Ace (12), and Birdie (6). Interestingly, she and Eric are still keeping things remarkably civil for the kids. They even spent Thanksgiving 2025 together at her mom Tina’s house.
"Family first," she told reporters. "He's my kids' father."
It’s refreshing to see a celebrity split that doesn’t immediately devolve into a scorched-earth legal battle. They’re navigating the "new normal" with a level of grace that most people wouldn't expect given the "trust issues" that were rumored to have caused the break.
Why the Chicken of the Sea News is Actually a Genius Move
If you’re a Millennial, you remember the "Is this chicken or is this fish?" moment from Newlyweds back in 2003. It defined her brand for a decade. Most people would try to bury a moment that made them look, well, a little bit ditzy.
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Not Jessica.
In January 2026, she officially leaned all the way into the joke. She recorded a brand-new jingle for Chicken of the Sea to promote their new Frank's RedHot flavor tuna packets. In the ad, she purposely messes up the lyrics, asking "What's the best chicken?" before "realizing" her mistake.
It’s smart. It’s self-aware. It’s also a massive paycheck.
She told People that she’s been a fan of the brand for 25 years. By turning a 20-year-old gaffe into a 2026 marketing campaign, she’s proving that she’s the one holding the remote now. She isn't the punchline; she's the one writing the script.
The Truth About the 100-Pound Weight Loss
You can't search for Jessica Simpson news without being bombarded by "miracle" weight loss ads. Let’s set the record straight: She didn't use a "gelatin trick" or some secret gummy.
She has been incredibly vocal about her 100-pound transformation, and it was actually pretty boring in terms of "secrets." She worked with trainer Harley Pasternak and basically walked her way to health. We’re talking 12,000 to 14,000 steps a day.
Her Actual Wellness Routine:
- Steps: Started at 6,000 and moved up to 12,000+ daily.
- Strength: Light resistance bands and bodyweight movements 3 days a week.
- Diet: Whole foods like eggs, grilled chicken, and veggies.
- Sobriety: She has been open about her journey with sobriety, which she credits for a lot of her mental clarity.
- Sleep: Aiming for 7 hours (though she admits with three kids, that’s a struggle).
She’s mentioned that she "threw out the scale" because the number was messing with her head. In a world of Ozempic rumors, Jessica has stuck to the narrative of habit-building and consistency. She’s 45 now and says she feels stronger than she did in her twenties.
The $1 Billion Empire is Still Hers
Back in 2021, Jessica and her mom Tina did something pretty unheard of in the fashion world: they bought back 100% of the Jessica Simpson Collection for $65 million after the parent company went bankrupt.
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Most celebrity brands are just licensing deals where the star shows up for a photo shoot once a year. Jessica actually owns the company.
As of late 2025, the brand celebrated 20 years. That’s an eternity in fashion. She launched a "2.0" collection that features leopard prints (obviously) and the platform heels she’s known for. The business has survived the death of department stores by pivoting to a direct-to-consumer model on her website.
She also expanded into Walmart to keep things accessible. She’s managed to bridge the gap between "luxury" and "Walmart," which is a needle very few people can thread.
Music is Making a Low-Key Comeback
While she hasn't released a full pop album in years, music is quietly creeping back into her life. In 2025, she released the Nashville Canyon Pt. 1 EP. It’s more soulful, a bit more country, and way more personal than her "Irresistible" days.
She’s been using her recording studio sessions as a form of therapy. You can tell the lyrics are reflecting the pain of the divorce and the relief of finding her own voice again.
What This Means for You
If you’ve been looking for Jessica Simpson news to see if she’s "falling apart" or "making a comeback," the answer is neither. She’s just evolving.
She’s 45, single for the first time in a decade, running a billion-dollar company, and raising three kids. The lesson here isn't about how to lose weight or how to sell tuna; it's about ownership. She owns her mistakes, she owns her body, and she literally owns her name.
Actionable Insights from Jessica’s 2026 Era:
- Reclaim Your Narrative: If people are making fun of something you did 20 years ago, find a way to monetize it or at least laugh along. It takes the power away from the critics.
- Consistency Over "Tricks": Stop looking for the "gelatin hack." If you want to feel better, start with a daily step goal. It’s free and it works.
- Boundaries Matter: You don't owe the world an explanation for your personal life. "I have options, I'm good" is a perfectly valid response to anyone prying into your business.
- Invest in Yourself: Whether it's buying back your business or just taking 20 minutes for a bosu ball workout, being the "boss" of your own life is the ultimate goal.
The reality is that Jessica Simpson isn't the "ditzy blonde" the media tried to sell us in the early 2000s. She’s a survivor who has outlasted almost all of her peers from that era. Whether she's singing a jingle or walking 12,000 steps, she's doing it on her terms.
Keep an eye on her Instagram for the next "Nashville Canyon" drop—it's likely to be her most honest work yet.