Todd and Julie Chrisley's Bold Charleston Move Rattles ‘Southern Charm’ Elite

Todd and Julie Chrisley are back — and they’re bringing the drama with them. After serving time for their high-profile tax fraud convictions, the Chrisley Knows Best stars are charting a new course in Charleston, South Carolina, and their plans are already causing waves among the city’s most exclusive circles.

A Fresh Start — and a New Reality Show

In a revealing ABC News Studios special aired on June 29, 2025, the Chrisleys opened up about their legal battles and future goals. Their next chapter? Trading Nashville for Charleston and turning a historic mansion into a boutique hotel — all while filming a new reality show that captures every opulent, outrageous step of the transformation.

The couple says this return to South Carolina — their home state — marks a chance to rebuild. But instead of retreating from the spotlight, they’re leaning in hard. Cameras have reportedly been rolling since the moment Todd and Julie walked out of prison, and their new Lifetime docuseries promises raw, unfiltered insight into their post-prison lives.

Not Everyone's Rolling Out the Welcome Mat

While Charleston may be known for Southern hospitality, not all residents are thrilled about the Chrisleys’ arrival. Chief among them is Southern Charm matriarch Patricia Altschul, who made her distaste abundantly clear. In a now-deleted Instagram comment, she wrote, “There goes the neighbourhood,” reacting to rumors about the Chrisleys’ relocation.

The friction isn’t surprising. Southern Charm has long depicted Charleston as a bastion of old money, elegant traditions, and high society social climbing. The Chrisleys, by contrast, are loud, flashy, and famously dysfunctional — the polar opposite of the prim and proper aristocracy Southern Charm portrays.

With both families possibly competing for local attention and national ratings, Charleston may soon become the stage for reality TV’s most unexpected turf war.

Turning Scandal Into Strategy

What makes this move even more intriguing is how strategically the Chrisleys are using their scandal to fuel a comeback. Far from avoiding the spotlight, they’re channeling the chaos into content. Their Lifetime series is expected to cover everything from prison life to rebuilding their family and business — proving that in their world, no moment is too messy to monetize.

And that’s exactly the Chrisley brand: unfiltered, unapologetic, and relentlessly in-your-face. Charleston might not know what hit it — but Todd and Julie clearly don’t care.

With cameras rolling and tempers flaring, one thing’s for certain: The Real Housewives have nothing on the battle brewing between Southern Charm and Chrisley Knows Best: Charleston Edition.