Jesse’s love story began as an affair while he was still married to his first wife, Noelle Inguagiato. The couple seemed to have it all after tying the knot in 2009. They found love while working at the same network and eventually welcomed twin daughters into their family. However, their marriage was not destined for a happy ending, as Emma would ultimately lead to its public unraveling. Jesse, along with Emma, a then-twenty-something associate producer, developed a consensual relationship after meeting at Fox, and their affair became public knowledge in 2018.
Noelle and Jesse finalized their divorce not long after the infidelity became public, and the news anchor continued to pursue Emma. Jesse got down on one knee and asked his former mistress to be his future wife while the ink was seemingly still drying on his divorce papers. All is fair in love and war as Jesse and Emma have gone on to build a life together and aren’t opposed to sharing it. Meanwhile, his ex-wife has slipped under the radar and keeps her whereabouts private. With their lavish night outs and swanky New Jersey mansion, the affair seems old news for these two lovebirds (pun intended). Still — we can’t help but break down the details of Jesse Watters and his wife Emma’s scandalous relationship timeline.
Jesse Watters married his first wife Noelle in 2009
Jesse Watters and Noelle Iguagiato met after the television personality got his start at Fox in the early 2000s. At the time, Iguagiato was working in advertising and promotions for the network and was also the host of a fashion-centered web show called “iMag Style.” The pair fell in love, and eventually they said “I Do” in 2009. Just two years later, the couple welcomed their first children together, twin daughters named Sophie and Ellie.
The couple seemed to be going strong for nearly a decade, with Jesse even posting heartwarming tributes to his wife on social media and posing for photos with her and the twins on family trips. “Happy Valentine’s Day Noelle!!” he wrote on Facebook in 2017, alongside a photo of him and his wife by the beach. There was trouble in paradise, and the couple would split amid a public scandal a year later.
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Noelle filed for divorce amid her husband’s cheating scandal
After nine years of marriage and two kids, Noelle Inguagiato pulled the plug on her and Jesse Watter’s marriage in 2018. The news made headlines that March as it became public knowledge that the Fox News anchor had an affair with Emma (formerly DiGiovine), who worked as an associate producer on his show “Watters’ World.” A spokesperson at the network made it clear that they were aware of Emma and Jesse’s relationship long before Noelle filed the papers.
“Within 24 hours of Jesse Watters voluntarily reporting to the Chief of Human Resources in November 2017 that he was in a consensual relationship with a woman on his staff, management met with both parties, and a decision was made for the woman to be transferred to work on another program on the network where she currently remains,” a representative for Fox News said in a statement at the time.
No disciplinary actions were taken against either employee. While the divorce was made public in 2018, the New York Daily News reported that Inguagiato had filed papers the year prior, in October of 2017 — a month before Jesse reported the nature of his and Emma’s relationship. Several months after news of the cheating scandal surfaced, Emma left Fox Network in the Spring of 2018.
Noelle and Jesse finalized their divorce
Noelle Inguagiato wasn’t going down without a fight in court following her husband’s infidelity. The mother of two filed a motion requesting that Jesse pay her legal fees amid their divorce, according to the Daily Mail. While the terms were kept confidential, the former spouses finalized their divorce in March 2019.
It’s unknown whether or not the judge signed off on Inguagiato’s request or how exactly the parents split up custody, but it seems they have found an amicable way to co-parent. While the mother of two keeps her life incredibly private and not much is known about her life post-divorce online, Watters has posted several photos alongside Ellie and Sophie. “Father-daughter ‘dance'” he joked in a caption of an Instagram post that featured him alongside the twins while he escorted them to a function in 2024. He also posted a sweet shot of them alongside Emma during Christmas in 2019 and on a beach trip to Maine that summer.
Jesse popped the question to his former mistress
Just months after Jesse Watters and Noelle Inguagiato finalized their divorce, the Fox News host got on bended knee to ask Emma to be his wife. In August of 2019, he popped the question by the beach, posting photos of the moment to his Facebook page. “Emma and I would like to announce our engagement! Thanks to all of our family and friends who’ve shown us so much love,” he wrote alongside a series of photos. “We are so grateful.”
Emma, fourteen years Jesse’s junior, celebrated the big day by uploading a separate Instagram post, writing, “Today, my best friend asked me to marry him. I love you forever @jessewatters.” The series of photos features the happy couple embracing each other and showing off Emma’s new sparkling rock as they posed by the ocean.
Jesse later recounted how he courted Emma years before during the Fox segment “The Five,” saying, “When I was trying to get Emma to date me…I let the air out of her tires. She couldn’t go anywhere. She needed a lift, I said, ‘Hey, you need a lift?’ She hopped right in the car,” he recounted in 2022 of the beginnings of their relationship.
The couple tied the knot in Florida
After a salacious relationship timeline and a lot of media speculation about their coupling up, Emma and Jesse Watters tied the knot in front of their closest family and friends in December 2019. The ceremony took place in Naples, Florida, at the Ritz Carlton Hotel and saw some esteemed guests in attendance, including President Donald Trump, Kimberly Guilfoyle, and Eric and Lara Trump, according to the Daily Mail.
Jesse posted a heartwarming photo from their special day to his Instagram page, writing, “I’m Watters and this is my wife #soulmate.” Emma also posted a series of snaps from the special night, showing off her floor-length strapless mermaid-style gown complete with lace detail and beading throughout. She opted to wear her hair down for the nuptials and even shared a sweet photograph posing next to her stepchildren, Sophie and Ellie.
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Kelly Dodd, a former “Real Housewives of New York City” attended the event, posting a photo alongside Eric and Donald Trump Jr. “Beautiful wedding with an impressive guest list,” she noted in her Instagram caption. “OBTW, I AM NOT AT ALL POLITICAL… I love everyone,” she clarified.
Jesse and Emma welcomed their first child together
Jesse and Emma Watters welcomed their son together in 2021, the first child for Emma and the third for the Fox News anchor. Emma posted a photo of her and her husband holding their baby boy, Jesse, on Instagram with the caption, “Heart is exploding. Welcome to the world, Jesse Bailey Watters Jr. We love you so very much!” The timing of Jesse’s birth seemed fitting, especially when it comes to the Fox News correspondent. “Jesse is the ultimate jokester, so it is so cute their son was born on April Fools’ Day!” an insider shared with PageSix.
They moved into a swanky New Jersey mansion together
Jesse and Emma Watters left New York City for a new zip code in 2023, moving into a swanky New Jersey mansion together. The couple was previously living in a Manhatten condo rental, but the Fox News host purchased a $2.8 million home in Bernardsville, New Jersey, to begin their new chapter together. The 10,296 square-foot mansion has plenty of space for their large family and includes five bedrooms on a sprawling 5.6-acre plot in the Bernardsville Mountain range.
The purchase is quite an upgrade from their previous residence, which was only 1,853 square feet. The home features wraparound verandas on both stories, a gorgeous dining room complete with an all-blue interior, a chandelier, and a fireplace to enjoy meals together. Marble floors, a large sweeping staircase, and an enormous kitchen outfitted with two islands and dark wood cabinets are just some of the impressive features of their stately mansion. Their primary suite is perfect for a king and queen, with a walk-out terrace attached to their room, and a giant closet for all of Emma’s designer fashions.
Their Jersey residence is perfect for kids with plenty of manicured lawns to run, a pool, and a theatre offering plenty of options. Their in-laws are also taken care of whenever they visit, as the estate features a separate carriage house to accommodate visitors.
The pair had their second child in 2023
Emma and Jesse Watters’s growing family got another addition in 2023 when they welcomed their second child. The former associate producer posted a photo to Instagram in the hospital alongside her husband and their newborn daughter, writing, “We are excited to announce the birth of our baby girl, Georgina Post Watters. We love her so much already!” Georgina’s arrival marked the second biological child for Emma and the fourth for Jesse.
Jesse previously announced his wife’s pregnancy on Fox’s “The Five” segment the year prior, telling his colleagues, “My wife Emma is pregnant with a girl … She’s five months along, which I think is halfway through … And she looks fantastic, you can’t even tell that she’s pregnant.” The Fox Anchor celebrated the occasion by snacking on pink cupcakes with his co-anchors during the show.
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In the leadup to the 2024 presidential election Jesse compared political differences to ‘having an affair’
Jesse Watters is making his political opinions known — even when it comes at the cost of his wife. The Fox News anchor launched into a rant on “The Five” about Emma potentially having a different vote than his during the 2024 Presidential Election, even likening it to cheating.
“If I found out Emma was going into the voting booth and pulling the lever for [Kamala] Harris, that’s the same thing as having an affair,” he challenged. “That violates the sanctity of our marriage. What else is she keeping from me? What else has she been lying about?” The argument is especially important to Jesse, who has had a longstanding friendship with President Donald Trump and his family for several years.
Many viewers, who pointed out the television personality’s previous affair with his now-wife, found it hypocritical. Jesse even went too far to proclaim that his marriage would be ‘over’ should he find out Emma had voted on the Democratic ticket. “You don’t own your spouse. She’s your partner, not your personal property,” one user commented on a reposted YouTube video of the segment. “Jesse Waters cheated on his first wife…he is talking about his second wife Emma as the person he considers cheating if she votes a way HE doesn’t like. What?!?!?” another questioned.
The couple continues to face heat over their salacious affair
Emma and Jesse Watters may have overcome their affair to ride off into the sunset together, but it doesn’t mean that the rest of the world doesn’t have an opinion. The couple has faced intense backlash for how their relationship began, despite the united front they continue to show in the public eye. The pair certainly isn’t shy about posting about the various galas they attend and their numerous fancy date nights — but not everybody in the comments section is happy about their union.
“Can’t believe you left your wife and children for her,” one user commented on Jesse’s Instagram photo-op of him and his wife at the Meridian Ball in 2024. “The homewrecker will never be classy,” quipped another viewer. But it doesn’t seem the haters affect the couple’s romance, as they continue to share their day-to-day lives together — with the comments left on.