Today, Jesse Watters is one of the biggest faces on Fox News.
As the host of Jesse Watters Primetime and a co-host of The Five, he commands millions of viewers and regularly dominates political headlines with his blunt commentary and unapologetic style.
But long before he became one of the network’s most recognizable stars, Watters found himself at the center of a very different kind of controversy—one involving an affair with a younger subordinate, a highly public divorce, and a bizarre story about letting air out of a woman’s tires that still follows him years later.
For a television personality who frequently comments on the behavior of politicians and celebrities, his own personal life has generated almost as much attention as his on-air opinions.
The Marriage That Lasted a Decade
Watters married Noelle Inguagiato in 2009.
For years, the couple appeared to have built a stable family life together. They welcomed identical twin daughters, Sophie and Ellie, in 2014 and largely kept their relationship away from public scrutiny.
At the time, Watters was steadily climbing the ranks at Fox News. His popularity was growing, and his appearances on programs hosted by Bill O’Reilly helped transform him into one of the network’s emerging stars.
But behind the scenes, trouble was brewing.
The Relationship That Changed Everything
The marriage began to unravel after Watters became involved with Emma DiGiovine, a young associate producer who worked on his program Watters’ World.
At the time, DiGiovine was reportedly 25 years old and working under Watters within the Fox News organization.
According to reports, Watters informed Fox News management about the relationship in November 2017.
The network subsequently reassigned DiGiovine to another program, removing her from his direct supervision.
The disclosure immediately attracted attention because of the workplace dynamics involved. Relationships between supervisors and subordinates often raise questions about professional boundaries, regardless of whether the relationship is consensual.
As news of the affair became public, Watters’ marriage came under intense strain.
In 2018, Noelle filed for divorce.
The marriage officially ended the following year.
A New Marriage Begins
Not long after his divorce was finalized, Watters announced his engagement to DiGiovine.
The couple married in December 2019.
Since then, they have built a family together, welcoming a son in 2021 and a daughter in 2023.
While the relationship has appeared stable in recent years, the circumstances surrounding how it began have continued to generate discussion among critics and media observers.
For many, the story remains one of the most controversial chapters in Watters’ public life.
The Tire Story That Sparked a Firestorm
Years after the affair controversy faded from headlines, Watters reignited criticism with a story he shared during a television segment in 2022.
Speaking on-air, he described how he allegedly pursued DiGiovine when they first met.
“When I was trying to get Emma to date me, first thing I did, let the air out of her tires,” Watters said while smiling.
He continued:
“She couldn’t go anywhere; she needed a lift. I said, ‘Hey, you need a lift?’ She got right into the car.”
The anecdote immediately exploded across social media.
Many viewers were stunned by the story.
Critics argued that intentionally disabling someone’s vehicle in order to create a situation where they would need assistance sounded less like a romantic gesture and more like manipulative behavior.
Within hours, the clip was being shared widely online.
Backlash Comes Fast
The reaction was swift and intense.
Critics described the story as “creepy,” “predatory,” and deeply inappropriate—particularly because the woman involved had reportedly worked under Watters within the Fox News hierarchy.
Commentators questioned whether the story was meant as a joke or a genuine recollection.
Some argued that even presenting the anecdote humorously reflected poor judgment.
The controversy became large enough that progressive media outlets quickly seized on it.
Among the harshest critics was Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks.
Uygur argued that the story made Watters sound less like a romantic pursuer and more like a stalker.
“While she reported to you, you vandalized her car so she couldn’t get home,” Uygur said during a segment discussing the controversy.
“She would be trapped and need your assistance, so you could have a captive audience.”
The criticism quickly spread beyond political circles and became a broader discussion about workplace relationships and power dynamics.
Watters Says It Was Never True
Facing mounting backlash, Watters later attempted to clarify the situation.
According to the Fox News host, the story had never actually happened.
Instead, he insisted it was simply a joke.
“There’s a rumor about me that I started, that I let the air out of Emma’s tires in order to get with her,” Watters said.
“I never did that. It was a joke.”
That explanation, however, did little to end the debate.
Some accepted the clarification and moved on.
Others questioned why such a story would be told publicly in the first place if it was entirely fictional.
The incident remains one of the most frequently cited examples whenever critics discuss Watters’ public image.
A Career That Survived the Controversy
Despite the scandals and criticism, Watters’ career has continued to flourish.
In fact, he has become one of the most influential personalities on Fox News.
His primetime program regularly attracts large audiences, and his role on The Five keeps him at the center of the network’s daily political coverage.
Supporters argue that the controversies surrounding his personal life have little relevance to his work as a commentator.
Critics disagree, maintaining that public figures should be judged not only by what they say on television but also by how they conduct themselves away from the camera.
The Story That Won’t Disappear
For many television personalities, personal scandals eventually fade into the background.
For Jesse Watters, however, the combination of a workplace affair, a highly public divorce, and the infamous tire anecdote has become a permanent part of his public narrative.
Years later, the story continues to resurface whenever his name trends online.
And while Watters has repeatedly moved forward professionally, questions about that turbulent chapter of his life continue to follow him.
For better or worse, it remains one of the most talked-about—and controversial—stories behind one of Fox News’ biggest stars.
