The Big Picture
- Jacob Roloff left Little People, Big World for personal growth and family focus.
- After quitting the show, Jacob released a book, got engaged, married, and started a family.
- Jacob revealed abuse by a producer in 2020, questioning reality TV's impact and getting family support.
Little People, Big World premiered on TLC back in 2006, and since then, the show has revolved around the lives of now-former couple Matt Roloff and Amy Roloff along with their four children. The Roloff children include twins Zach and Jeremy, Molly and Jacob Roloff. Out of all the siblings, Zach Roloff is the only one with dwarfism, just like his parents. However, the show follows the couple as they raise all of their children on their family farm in Oregon, battling the challenges that come with their medical condition. Over the years, all the Roloff siblings have slowly moved on from Little People, Big World to pursue their own careers and family lives. The first one to leave was Jeremy Roloff who quit the show in 2019 with his wife Audrey Roloff. The only sister in the clan, Molly Roloff followed a year later when she went off to college.
However, she never formally said goodbye to Little People, Big World, and makes appearances in episodes occasionally. Zach and his wife Tori Roloff have been the latest couple to say goodbye to the Roloff family farm and the show after the reality star’s public feud with his father over their family farm. However, the family member whose exit from the show has garnered the most attention has been the youngest of the clan, Jacob Roloff, who was only 9 years old when the show went on air. For almost 10 years of his life, Roloff had cameras surrounding him, filming every part of his life as a child and teenager. In 2016, Jacob Roloff dropped out of high school and bid farewell to the show right after he turned 18. His reasons for leaving the show were unclear at the time. However, over the years, the youngest Roloff has opened up about the constant pressure and drama of being on reality TV and how it affected his life over the years.
Little People, Big World
TV-PG
Reality
A reality series documenting the lives of the Roloff family on their Oregon farm. Matt and Amy Roloff, along with their children, navigate the complexities of life with dwarfism. The show provides an up-close look at their daily routines, family interactions, and the various projects they undertake on the farm. Through their experiences, viewers gain insight into the challenges and triumphs of living with a physical disability, as well as the strong bonds that hold the family together.
- Release Date
- March 4, 2006
- Cast
- Matthew Roloff , Amy Roloff , Jeremy Roloff , Zach Roloff , Molly Roloff , Jacob Roloff
- Main Genre
- Reality
- Seasons
- 25
- Network
- TLC
- Streaming Service(s)
- TLC GO
Growing Up a Reality Star Wasn’t Easy for Jacob
Jacob Roloff announced his exit from Little People, Big World in an Instagram post back in 2016, confessing that the producers often exaggerated storylines for ratings. He claimed that the show didn’t reflect real family dynamics and writing. “For me, noticing how the agenda of the crew doesn't work well with the health & happiness of our family is what made me decide quite a while ago that I would not be a part of it as soon as I was able,” he added. After these shocking revelations, Roloff went on to clarify that while he still loved his family and was spending a lot of time with them, he was never going to be seen on TV again. Staying true to his word, the former reality star maintained a low profile in the following years, while his siblings and parents continued to film for the show.
In 2018, Jacob Roloff stepped into the limelight once again when he released his book titled Verbing. According to the book’s description on Amazon, it’s split into three short essays on the subject of Roloff’s “growth — spiritually, intellectually, in the public eye.” In the book, Roloff has opened up about filming for the show and how it caused him a lot of emotional turmoil, especially when it came to his relationships with the family. As reported by In Touch Weekly, the former reality star opened up about the aftermath of reality TV in the following words:
“This led to arguments and miscommunications with family, especially my parents, culminating in their decision to experiment having me see a therapist.”
After Quitting the Show, He Settled Down With His Longtime Girlfriend
The same year, Roloff got engaged to Isabel Rock and announced the news to his followers on Instagram — and this was back in 2018. A year later, the couple got married in an extremely private ceremony that took place on the Roloff family farm in Oregon. Roloff’s entire family was in attendance, including Zach’s wife, Tori Roloff even sharing pictures from the special day on her social media.
His older brother Jeremy Roloff also shared photos of the newlyweds on his story, expressing his excitement for the two of them. Both Matt and Amy Roloff also attended the event despite being in the middle of finalizing their long divorce. This indicated that while Jacob Roloff was no longer filming for Little People, Big World, his relationship with his family was still rock solid.
Decision To Quit Show Was More Serious Than Fans Thought
Things took a surprising turn in 2020, though, when Jacob Roloff decided to come forward with more details about his time as a child reality star. The Roloff brother revealed that he was abused by Chris Cardamone, one of the producers of Little People, Big World. Roloff shared his story in an Instagram post, confessing that it had taken him years to come to terms with everything that the executive field producer had put him through as a young boy. He described Cardamone’s actions as a “long grooming process,” adding that he doesn’t plan to provide details of this encounter. However, Roloff did express his concern about Cardamone’s behavior and wrote that he hopes the man is “never allowed around children again.”
Roloff continued his statement and talked about how sexual assault can happen to anyone at any time. He added that he didn’t speak out sooner because, as a child, he needed to process the situation with silence and time. Roloff then took the opportunity to question reality TV in general, speaking out about the impact of growing up in front of millions of viewers who had access to every part of his life. He described his feelings in the following words:
“I continue my own contemplation on the voyeurism involved in the entire enterprise of reality television — a massive spectacle of drama and pain and argument and invasion, with a little joy sprinkled over, that viewers watch completely dissociated from the complex humans inside the simplistic 'characters' they see on TV.”
After the announcement, Roloff’s family came forward with messages of support. His mother, Amy Roloff commented on the post, letting her son know that he didn’t have to feel alone and carry the burden around anymore. Roloff’s wife, Isabel Rock, added that she was proud to know him, love him, and be his wife.
Jacob Roloff's Return to Work at the Family Farm
In 2021, Jacob Roloff and Isabel Rock announced their pregnancy on Instagram, and a few months later, they welcomed their son, Matteo Roloff. However, like most other things in his life, the youngest Roloff decided not to share his son’s photographs on social media to make sure that his privacy was protected. A year later, The US Sun reported that Jacob Roloff had moved back to his family farm along with his wife and son. According to the reality star, his family had been living in a fifth-wheel camper home on private property of land that was under heavy construction right beside the Roloff farms. As his father, Matt Roloff was feuding with his other two sons, Jacob Roloff and Isabel Rock moved into a humble home built on their family’s $4 million farm. According to the same report by the US Sun, the couple chose to move in with family to save money and help out on the farm.
An insider also reported also reported that Matt Roloff and his girlfriend Caryn Chandler help the young couple out with their baby while Jacob Roloff spends his days working on the farm. From cutting wood to running the pumpkin farm and transporting work tools around in a tractor, the youngest, Roloff fell into his father’s good side while both of his brothers refused to show up during the pumpkin season — the busiest time of the year for their family. Around the same time, the Roloff brothers seemed to have gotten into fights of their own in another report by The US Sun. However, over the years, things seem to have mellowed down between them.
For now, Jacob Roloff continues to work on the family farm along with his father. The former reality star often posts pictures of his work and family, giving the fans a glimpse into his life on his terms. Initially regarded as the rebel of the Roloff family, the youngest Roloff sibling has built a happy life far away from the cameras.
All previous seasons of Little People, Big World are available to stream on Max in the U.S.
