Meghan and Tina From ‘1000-Lb Best Friends Explain Why They Really Live Together

TLC’s 1000-lb Best Friends is far more than a show about weight loss. Friends Vanessa Cross, Meghan Crumpler, Ashley Sutton, and Tina Arnold lean on each other for various moments, from mental health issues to financial struggles.

In Season 2 of 1000-lb Best Friends, Meghan and Tina proved their loyalty when Meghan moved in with Tina, her husband, Johnnie, and their two daughters. Once fans saw the arrangement, many felt it odd that the adult friends lived under the same roof.

So, why does Meghan live with Tina? Here’s what the BFFs have to say.

Season 2 of 1000-lb Best Friends debuted on Jan. 4, 2023. As the season progressed, several viewers shared their opinions about Meghan and Tina living together. Meghan and her fiance, Jon Creager, moved into Meghan’s basement. However, many fans don’t know why Meghan started living in the first place.

“I am trying to figure out why they are living with Tina and her husband,” one fan tweeted during an episode. “If I remember correctly, when the show first started, Meghan and her BF lived on their own.”

Since Meghan and Tina seemingly didn’t provide fans with a clear enough explanation of their agreement, some have made their own theories. Many believe Meghan is using Tina for free room and board. One fan even mentioned that Meghan seems “totally able to work,” while others noted she’s likely receiving a TLC check and can afford her own place.

Weeks after Season 2 premiered, Meghan and Tina set the record straight on why they chose to live in the same house. In an interview with iHollywoodTV podcast, the friends discussed the fans’ reactions to their living arrangements.

Meghan explained to host Noah Wilson that she is still adjusting to her post-weight loss and isn’t comfortable living on her own. She also said she and Tina are “like sisters,” and Tina was actually the one who suggested that Meghan and Jon move in.

Tina, who prefaced her side of the story by stating she isn’t “as nice as Meghan,” said her friend helped her through a “dark place” and was attempting to navigate through “depression and severe anxiety.” She then added that she “needed a friend” during troubling times and has seen a “night and day” change in her mood since her bestie came around.

“All I can say to the people that think she shouldn’t be here is … she is helping me to be here,” Tina explained on the podcast. “So I need her here.”

While Tina and Meghan confirmed they became roommates for more personal than financial reasons, both friends recently had to uproot their lives and move out of Tina’s house. In Season 2, the women lived in a hotel with Meghan’s boyfriend, Tina’s husband, and Tina's kids.

During Meghan and Tina’s iHollywoodTV interview, they shared they had to move because a pipe burst in Tina’s house. She said on the podcast that the pipes caused a flood that “completely destroyed the downstairs and the flooring upstairs.” Meghan, whose room is located downstairs next to Tina’s oldest daughter, described the damage as a “rainforest.”

Tina said they stayed in a hotel for “three months” while the house got repaired. Meghan and her boyfriend also lived in the same room as Tina. To some fans, the friends sharing an even smaller space was a bit much.

The friends addressed why Meghan didn’t get her own room at the hotel and gave Tina and her family their space. Meghan noted that staying at a hotel isn’t cheap and said their suite would’ve set her back “$6,000” a month, which she didn’t have, considering she’s living in her friend’s basement. However, she said she did help out and was the “main cook” during their lengthy stay.

Thankfully, Tina’s house was fixed during filming, and Meghan will seemingly be there for a while.

1000-lb Best Friends airs new episodes Wednesdays at 10 p.m. EST on TLC.