Nick Lachey says Jessica Simpson flew first class while three kids were stuck in economy on six-hour flight
Nick Lachey has revealed what really happened when he unexpectedly ran into his ex-wife Jessica Simpson.
The former 98 Degrees singer, 52, was on the same plane as his ex-wife during a flight to Hawaii last month and the encounter went surprisingly well.
The former boy bander confirmed reports of the run-in during his appearance on Watch What Happens Live – where he shed light on how it went.
‘It was strangely OK! You know it’s been 20 years since… and so we hadn’t seen each other in those 20 years and then spent six and a half hours on a flight to Hawaii together,’ he said. ‘But when I say spent, in the same vicinity.’
Lachey revealed he was on the plane with his ‘whole family’, including wife Vanessa Lachey, while Simpson was with her mother Tina Ann Drew. ‘Everyone was very, very cordial, very respectful,’ he said.
He added that Simpson’s ex Eric Johnson and their children – Max, 14, Ace, 12, and Birdie, seven – were also on board, but seated in a different section of the plane.
Nick Lachey has revealed what really happened when he ran into his ex-wife Jessica Simpson during a six-hour flight to Hawaii
‘I believe her kids and her – I’m not familiar with where they stand at this point, but her husband? But they were all on the plane, but not with us,’ Lachey said. ‘It was honestly, it was fine!’
Cohen then pointed out that the children were placed in a ‘separate class of service.’
‘The kids were in a separate class of service?’ Cohen clarified.
‘Yes,’ an uncomfortable-looking Lachey replied. ‘Separate class of service.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to Simpson’s representatives for comment.
Last month TMZ reported that the former couple were left uncomfortable during the run-in.
Simpson allegedly ‘switched seats with someone in her group’ to distance herself further from Lachey, whose face ‘turned bright red’ upon seeing her.
Once he realized he was on the same plane as his ex, the duo had ‘zero interaction’, according to the site.
However a People source described the run-in as ‘amicable and cordial.’
Simpson and Lachey were married in 2002 before splitting in 2006
Lachey re-married after her split from Lachey, tying the knot with Eric Johnson and welcoming three children with him. However, that marriage has since ended; pictured 2022
‘They all had a nice conversation. Nick, Jessica and [Nick’s wife] Vanessa,’ a source told the site. ‘It was very amicable and cordial.’
The 98 Degrees boybander and the early aughts pop star met through their manager in 1998, split for five months in 2001 before tying the knot in 2002.
Lachey was featured in Simpson’s song Where You Are in 2000, and he served video hunk duties in her 2003 music video for Sweetest Sin.
But the blonde Texan and the Kentucky-born presenter were launched into the stratosphere of fame after launching their MTV reality show Newlyweds (2003-2005) and subsequent 2004 special The Nick and Jessica Variety Hour.
Simpson’s hilarious Chicken Of The Sea moment occurred during a 2003 episode of Newlyweds.
Lachey is now married to Vanessa Minnillo and they share three children
In the episode, Simpson, who was 23 at the time, ate a can of Chicken Of The Sea brand tuna and asked: ‘Is this chicken what I have or is it fish?’
Lachey eventually let her know that it was indeed tuna and Simpson has been living it down ever since.
Simpson and Lachey married in 2002. They split in 2006, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’ in their divorce proceedings.
Lachey went on to marry model and actress Vanessa Minnillo in 2011 and the pair now share three kids.
In 2014, Simpson also fell in love again and married NFL player Eric Johnson and the duo have three children. They have since split.
