‘Age Inappropriate’: Janet and Drew Talk Health Fears, Navigating Judgment, and Whether They’d Return for Season 2 [Exclusive]

Janet, 60, and Drew, 40, aren’t making any apologies for their unconventional relationship. 

The pair are one of five age-gap couples who starred in the first season of We TV’s Age Inappropriate, which wrapped up its first season on September 25. While their 20-year age difference might raise some eyebrows, they aren’t bothered by the judgment. Instead, they’re focusing on the positive feedback they’ve received since making their TV debut. 

“It’s been amazing,” Janet, an Atlanta promoter and nightlife mogul, told Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “People are asking, ‘Are you guys going to be on the second season?’ … the response between family, friends, even strangers –- they’re still in our inbox, they’re following us. They want to hear more.”

Janet and Drew want to take the negative and turn it into a positive

The couple have had to get used to being in the public eye. On a recent trip to New York City, they were recognized by fans. 

“We literally had people in the airport saying, ‘We saw y’all on the show.’ So they were excited to see us,” Drew said. 

Of course, by putting themselves out there, they also open themselves up for criticism. With a two-decade difference in their ages, there will also be those who focus on the negatives. But Janet said that over time, she’s learned to drown out the noise and only focus on the opinions of those people whom she really cares about. She and Drew – a bodyguard and creator of the Magenda fashion line – see criticism as a motivation to make their marriage even stronger. 

“We’re on TV, we are on a reality show, we expect it, but we know that we take that negative and we turn into a positive every time,” she said. “So you’re going to push us to be even stronger in our relationship.”

While Janet and Drew’s commitment to each other is obvious, that doesn’t mean they haven’t faced some hurdles in their relationship. As seen in season 1, Janet’s jealousy can sometimes get the best of her, as she feared that other women might be making a play for her man. Drew, meanwhile, struggled to find his own path and career, though by season’s end, he was taking steps to make his business dreams a reality.  

“I’m in the middle of production with my clothing line and I’m excited about it,” he shared. “And in the meantime, I’m still doing my executive protection security. We all got to have our nine-to-five until we get there. So it’s just a daily grind and we’re very positive and we have high hopes.”

‘Age Inappropriate’ stars are living ‘in the present moment’

While building his business, Drew is also keeping an eye on Janet’s health. As they shared on the show, not too long ago, she had a mild stroke. The incident highlighted an unavoidable reality of age-gap relationships: That one partner may be at greater risk of experiencing life-altering health issues. 

“It’s something that I think about a lot. And even right now talking about it, it hurts,” Drew said, getting emotional. “There’s times where I do sit back and I think about the future years down the line and how life would be 20, 30 years from now. And so I try not to focus on what could be and just focus on what we got going on right now in the present moment.”

Both Janet and Drew said they lean on their faith and put their trust in God when it comes to the future. Early on in their relationship, Drew pointed out that no one could know what was coming for them, Janet recalled. 

“I never thought of that,” she said. “All I kept thinking was, again, age and the age gap. But I never thought, he’s right. He could get sick or he could have an accident. Anything could happen.”

At the same time, Drew encourages Janet to take care of herself. 

“He stays on me, on my health … I’m trying to get in the gym and create different habits,” she said. But she draws the line at working out with her husband. “We probably would break up,” she admits, if they tried to hit the gym together. 

If We TV does renew Age Inappropriate for season 2, Janet and Drew hope to return and share more of their story. That includes introducing viewers to the rest of their family – Drew’s mother and Janet’s children and grandchildren. 

“We have a lot more story to tell,” Drew said. “I mean, people literally just had a little small glimpse of what we have and who we are. So we’re just excited to just share more with the people that want to see us.”

All episodes of Age Inappropriate are now streaming on All Reality. 

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