Jessica Simpson’s Bombshell Confession on Johnny Knoxville Affair During Marriage with Ex-husband Nick Lachey Revisited

Jessica Simpson is one of the most prominent figures in pop music and is widely known for her singing and acting ventures. Every so often, she makes headlines about one thing or another, but no one ever gets to know the full version of what went down in her life.

Like many other celebrities, she too decided to document the events of her life in a memoir that revealed to the world her version of the story. The memoir, aptly named Open Book, was released in 2020 and had a confession from her about an affair that she had with co-star Johnny Knoxville while she was still married to Nick Lachey. However, the affair was not the kind that one would think it was. Instead, it was something much deeper.

Jessica Simpson confessed that she had an affair with Johnny Knoxville during her marriage to Nick Lachey

Affairs and scandals are not unheard of in Hollywood. In fact, they are more common than some would say they are. The result of one such alleged scandal is the long-running cold war between Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie over the allegations that the latter had an affair with Brad Pitt while he was still married to the FRIENDS star. Jolie and Pitt have denied the allegations, but that has done nothing to mend the crack between the two actresses.

As such, Jessica Simpson is also not immune to affairs as she admittedly had one with her The Dukes of Hazzard co-star Johnny Knoxville. According to her memoir, Open Book (via PEOPLE), she had an “emotional affair” with the actor. However, the relationship never had anything to do with physical intimacy.

I could share my deepest authentic thoughts with him, and he didn’t roll his eyes at me. He actually liked that I was smart and embraced my vulnerabilities. He believed in me and made me feel I could do anything.

The bond between them was so strong that it felt like a “betrayal” to Lachey. They were both married at the time so there was no question of physical intimacy.

But to me, an emotional affair was worse than a physical one. It’s funny, I know, because I had placed such an emphasis on sex by not having it before marriage. After I actually had sex, I understood that the emotional part was what mattered. Johnny and I had that, which seemed far more of a betrayal to my marriage than sex.

Up to that point in her life, the only man she had felt an emotional attachment with was her father, Joe Simpson. She even went as far as writing that she did not feel the same way about Lachey who was her husband at the time. In 2005, she and the 98 Degrees went their separate ways.

Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson are parting ways after 10 years of marriage

Jessica Simpson found lasting love with her former NFL player husband, Eric Johnson when they first met in 2010. The two decided to tie the knot after four years of dating and became parents to three beautiful children in the 10 years that they have been married.

However, Simpson recently revealed to PEOPLE that she is parting ways with Johnson and stated that they would do what was best for their children.

Eric and I have been living separately navigating a painful situation in our marriage. Our children come first, and we are focusing on what is best for them. We are grateful for all of the love and support that has been coming our way, and appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family.

Last November, a source told PEOPLE that the two were living separately after Johnson was spotted out and about without his wedding ring on. Even Simpson has not been seen wearing her wedding ring for months in the pictures she has posted of herself on social media.