Jillian Harris is no stranger to television, having been in front of the camera for over a decade. Her humor, beauty, and emotional honesty have warmed the hearts of audiences and fans since she first appeared on television in 2009. However, Harris has long proven she’s far more than just her beauty. Before becoming famous on television, Harris had established herself as a designer.
For those who knew Harris’ work, it was no surprise that she was chosen as the co-host of Love It or List It Too. Like Hilary Farr on the American Love It or List It TV show, Jillian Harris is the Canadian version’s interior designer. Harris has been a host on the show since 2013, alongside Todd Talbot as co-host. However, it isn’t her career that’s much of a mystery to audiences. Here’s taking a closer look at Jillian Harris’ personal life.
Jillian Harris Growing Years
The Canadian television personality was born in Peace River, Alberta, Canada. She was born on December 30, 1979. Although she had an average childhood, her mother struggled with bipolar disorder. Harris’ mom had to be hospitalized when Harris was 10 because of severe debilitating depression. However, the mother and daughter have remained close through the years. Known for not holding back about her life, Harris helped raise awareness about mental health with a blog post. In the blog post on her website, Harris’ mother talked extensively about her history with mental illness.
She Had Always Wanted To Be An Interior Designer
Even at an early age, the love for interior design came naturally for Jillian Harris. However, she didn’t consider it a career until she began giving design consultations. Harris once worked at Caban, an interior goods store that exposed her to the creative and imaginative world of interior design. Her design consultations gave her the necessary exposure and an opportunity to design one of Canada’s restaurant chains, Cactus Club Cafe. Realizing she needed to take her interior design career seriously, Jillian Harris enrolled and received a certificate for Interior Design from The British Columbia Institute of Technology. Impressed with her designs at Cactus Club Cafe, Scott Morison (the restaurant’s co-founder) rehired Harris to help design his new restaurant chain, Browns Socialhouse.
Jillian Harris Became A Contestant On The Bachelor Season 13
Jillian Harris chose to audition for The Bachelor season 13 in 2009 as a way of getting more exposure and finding love. Although she wasn’t the winner, Harris quickly stood out for her beauty and humor. She finished in Third Place after being eliminated in Week 7. The Bachelor season 13 had its fair share of drama that helped increase its ratings and inadvertently made Jillian Harris more popular. Melissa Rycroft had won the season and was proposed to by the season’s bachelor, Jason Mesnick. However, during After The Final Rose (often taped six weeks after filming ended), Jason Mesnick broke up with Melissa Rycroft and proposed to the Runner-Up, Molly Malaney. Jillian Harris was then chosen to become the next bachelorette.
Jillian Harris On The Bachelorette Season 5
The Bachelorette season 5 premiered on May 18 in the same year. Jillian Harris made history in the franchise as the first Canadian Bachelorette. 30 male contestants competed for a chance to propose to Harris. In the end, then-29-year-old Ed Swiderski, a Technology Consultant from Monroe, Michigan, won The Bachelorette season 5. On July 27, 2009, Ed Swiderski proposed to Jillian Harris. Swiderski and Harris’ engagement lasted for about a year before breaking off the engagement in July 2010.
Jillian Harris And Justin Pasutto’s Early Relationship
It was 2011, and Jillian Harris had moved on from the broken engagement with Ed Swiderski. Realizing she wasn’t successful in relationships like in her career, Harris channeled all her energy into her work. However, she admits that although she wasn’t exclusively dating, she had boyfriends in different area codes – Holland, Hollywood, and Canada. In 2011, she met Justin Pasutto while waiting in line at a bar called Roses. She was immediately attracted to him but soon discovered they had a huge age gap. Jillian Harris is eight years older than Justin Pasutto. While Harris was 32 when they met, Pasutto was 24. However, she discovered he had a good heart and was raised well.
Justin Pasutto Has Proposed Twice To Jillian Harris
Jillian Harris and Justin Pasutto dated for years before he proposed. Although Harris wasn’t looking for love before she met Pasutto, she planned to have kids by the age of 36. Harris welcomed her first child, Leo, with Pasutto on August 5, 2016. Justin Pasutto proposed to Jillian Harris on Christmas Day in 2016. Sometime in 2020, Harris accidentally threw out the engagement ring in the recycling. In September 2020, Pasutto proposed again with a new ring.
Jillian Harris Shared A Postpartum Photo To Help Raise Awareness
After giving birth to her first child, Jillian Harris and Justin Pasutto decided to help the Life After Birth Project raise awareness about postpartum realities. Standing beside Pasutto and baby Leo, Harris wore postpartum mesh underwear. In the caption shared on the Life After Birth Instagram page, Harris wrote, “I look back at this picture and remember it being one of the best moments of my life. I’ve never felt so content with my body, my relationship with Justin, and my life…” Harris and Pasutto’s openness about their lives is one thing that has attracted their ever-growing fan base.
Jillian Harris Is A Mother Of Two
Although Jillian Harris and Justin Pasutto have been engaged since 2016, the couple not only still share so much love and admiration for one another but also have raised a beautiful family along the way. Harris gave birth to her second child, daughter Annie, in September 2018, bringing the family to four. While audiences look forward to their wedding day, Jillian Harris and Justin Pasutto continue to be an inspiration to many. If you enjoyed reading about Jillian Harris‘ personal life, here are 8 facts you need to know about Joanna Gaines.