Harry Jowsey Reveals Why He Leaked Jessi Draper’s DMs amid Jordan Ngatikaura’s Cheating Claims (Exclusive)

Reality TV star Harry Jowsey has addressed the recent controversy surrounding the leaked Instagram DMs exchanged with Jessi Draper, a participant from the series “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” Speaking with PEOPLE at the inaugural Snappy Awards held on March 31, Jowsey clarified the circumstances that led to their private conversations being publicly shared, confirming that he had Draper’s permission prior to the TikTok post.

The drama first unfolded when Draper revealed claims made by her estranged husband, Jordan Ngatikaura, alleging that he had accused her of infidelity involving Jowsey. During an episode of the podcast “Call Her Daddy” aired on March 25, Draper alleged that Ngatikaura had hacked into her Instagram account while the couple was legally separated. She claimed that he sent himself audio messages from her conversations with Jowsey and then posed as an anonymous source to inform him about the supposed affair.

Draper stated, “He accused me of cheating on him with Harry Jowsey,” pointing fingers at her husband as the real source of the turmoil, but did not offer any concrete evidence to support her claims. She asserted that her relationship with Jowsey was innocent, highlighting that their exchanges were merely friendly birthday wishes.

The following day, Jowsey took to TikTok, where he shared snippets of his conversation with Draper, which included playful banter about their birthday celebrations. In one of the messages, Jowsey referred to Draper as a “freaky girl,” to which she responded playfully, expressing jealousy over their age difference.

In his conversation with PEOPLE, Jowsey clarified that before publicising the DMs, he had contacted Draper and asked whether she was comfortable with him sharing their dialogue. “She literally said, ‘Please,’” Jowsey recounted. He revealed that he was initially hesitant to share the messages but eventually felt reassured after Draper expressed her desire to make the exchange public.

The controversy surrounding Draper’s marriage continued to escalate as she further alleged emotional abuse from Ngatikaura during their time together. According to Draper, her estranged husband was often critical of her parenting skills, household management, and expected her to adopt more traditional gender roles. “He wanted me to start doing Pilates every single day,” she claimed, describing the oppressive nature of their relationship.

Ngatikaura has yet to respond directly to Draper’s latest allegations. Last November, he acknowledged the pain he caused her, stating, “I take full accountability for the pain I caused Jessi during our marriage.” In a twist of events, just a day after filing for divorce, he sought a restraining order against Draper, which she contested on the same day.

Adding another layer to the unfolding drama, reports surfaced in late March of Draper being spotted with Chase McWhorter, the ex-husband of fellow cast member Miranda Hope. Draper later sent an apology to Hope via Instagram, expressing her understanding of any hurt feelings caused by the situation and acknowledging the complexity within their friendship circle.

Miranda Hope responded to the swirling gossip with an Instagram story of her own, suggesting that the betrayals in her social circle had reached a point equivalent to a “tradition.” In what has become a whirlwind month for the cast of “Mormon Wives,” the tensions have only escalated, creating an air of uncertainty around the show’s future.

Compounding the issues facing the “Mormon Wives” franchise, filming for the fifth season was recently halted after cast members expressed their refusal to work alongside Taylor Frankie Paul, amidst ongoing domestic violence investigations involving her and ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. Paul’s legal troubles have resulted in further complications, leading to ABC’s cancellation of her season on “The Bachelorette,” following the emergence of a distressing video showing a violent altercation between the couple.

As the lives of these reality stars continue to unravel in the public eye, the implications of their personal dramas highlight the often tumultuous nature of life under the spotlight. The unfolding narrative showcases not just the complexities of relationships, but also the precarious nature of fame intertwined with personal strife.