The breakout show for TLC may just be My Big Fat Fabulous Life, and a lot of its success has to do with Whitney's mom, Barbara Thore. The spunky mother of two has a soft place in fans' hearts, and they want to know more about her. Whitney is often seen going to her mother for advice, and along the way, TLC viewers have also picked up some gems.
Whitney has had a challenging year, to say the least. My Big Fat Fabulous Life fans watched as the reality TV star seemed to find her one true love with Chase Severino. The two were North Carolina residents, and Chase felt like he was really invested in her. The bar owner showed up to family functions and made his intentions known early on. At the end of last season, he dropped down on one knee while in France and proposed. But the love was short-lived as during the pandemic, the couple lived apart. Chase got back with an old flame and found out he was going to be a father. After her break up, Whitney ran to her mother for comfort as every daughter would.
Babs and her husband, Glenn Thore, are Whitney's biggest cheerleaders and appear in almost every episode. Babs' leading role in life has been a homemaker. She grew up in Greensboro and, according to a recent episode, is 75-years-old. The mother of two went to high school and college in the city and decided to stay and raise her children there as well. During season 4, viewers watched as Babs suffered from a stroke and a few seizures. Luckily, she seems to be back to her normal sassy self.
Whitney's mother used her stunning good looks to work in the modeling world back in the day. Whitney has previously shared some old throwback photos of her mother as a glamazon. While Babs is happily married now to Glenn, it's not her first marriage. In 2019, Whitney discovered a secret wedding album that revealed her mother's past relationship. Bab's first marriage only lasted four years before they divorced. In an episode, Babs revealed she started dating her ex-husband when she was only 17, and he was 22. Babs has since been married to Glenn for 44 years and celebrated their anniversary this past August
My Big Fat Fabulous Life would not be half as good if Babs and Glenn weren't on it. The sage and wise mother always gives her two cents for free, and usually, her advice is spot on. Whitney is currently worried about her parents since they are almost 80 and live in a multi-level home. She is trying to force them to move downstairs, but Babs is having none of it. My Big Fat Fabulous Life fans wouldn't expect anything less.
My Big Fat Fabulous Life airs Tuesdays at 9 pm EST on TLC.
Source: Whitney Way Thore/Instagram, Whitney Way Thore/Twitter