Is Little People, Big World Over?: How Matt Roloff’s Feud With Zach Roloff Ruined The Show
Zach Roloff’s time on Little People, Big World has come to an end after an issue with his father, Matt Roloff, which marred previous seasons of the show. Zach was 13 years old when he made his reality TV debut alongside his family in 2006 when Little People Big World season 1 premiered. Over 18 years later, fans have watched Zach grow from a teenager to a man with a wife, Tori, and three children: Jackson, Lilah, and Josiah Roloff. Still, as the family’s first child alongside his twin, Jeremy Roloff, Zach had a lot of expectations on his shoulders.
Despite the family’s early success on the show, things slightly changed on Little People Big World. Amy Roloff married Chris Marek after her marriage to Matt crashed. Meanwhile, Jeremy and his wife Audrey Roloff left the show to concentrate on other projects. Amid these changes and exits, Zach remained committed to his father and his duties on the family farm, which he believed he would someday run. However, Zach received a rude awakening when Matt sold off parts of the farm, and now Zach and Tori have announced their exit from Little People Big World.
Matt Roloff Wouldn’t Sell Zach Roloff The Farm
Matt Wouldn’t Let Zach Own a Part of the Farm
Growing up on the Roloff Farms, Zach’s dream was to run the grounds someday. The farm had been the family’s home and source of livelihood ever since Matt acquired it in 1990, and as the firstborn, Zach had always believed he was raised to one day take over or assist in the farming operations. Also, when it became clear Matt and Amy’s marriage was heading toward a divorce, Amy sold her share of the Roloff Farms to Matt with the assumption that he would one day pass the farm to one or more of their children.
Matt’s decisions made Zach realize that, despite his servitude, his father had no intentions of giving the farm to him.
However, Matt surprised everyone when he put 16 acres of the farm, including their original family home, on the market without consulting any of his children. Although most of the kids were displeased with Matt’s move, Zach saw this as the ultimate betrayal from his father, which started the father-son feud between Matt and Zach. Matt added insult to injury when he offered the piece of land to Zach for $4 million, a price he knew his son couldn’t afford. Matt’s decisions made Zach realize that, despite his servitude, his father had no intentions of giving the farm to him.
Zach & Matt Roloff Are Barely Civil
Zach And Matt Hardly Talk
After realizing that Matt had no intention of ever handing over the farm, Zach’s relationship with his father worsened. Their feud spilled over to social media in 2020 when Zach called out his father for “manipulating the narrative” after Matt weirdly blamed his sons for being the reason he sold part of the farm. After Matt’s antics, Zach understood that his family’s future lay elsewhere, and he subsequently relocated his wife Tori and their children Jackson, Lilah, and Josiah to a spacious property in Battleground, Washington, where the family could do their own projects.
Zach’s decision to leave the Roloff Farms hurt whatever was left of his relationship with Matt. His father became an insignificant part of the family’s lives, and many of their father-and-son interactions relied on Matt’s desire to remain in contact with his grandchildren. In addition to the tension between them, the family’s move to Washington also meant Zach and his family gradually became less involved in the show. Zach’s eventual announcement that he and his family would be leaving Little People, Big World might’ve been shocking, but it was also expected, as his relationship with Matt never got better.
Zach Roloff Thinks His Relationship With Matt Roloff Will “Never Be The Same”
Zach And Matt’s Relationship Is Irreparable
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Since Matt and Zach’s fallout, it seemed like they would never reconcile. Matt tried to appease Zach when he bought his son a lawnmower, noting, “Maybe the mower can help begin that process of saying, ‘Hey! Let’s move on.’” Although Zach appreciated the gift, he didn’t mince words, explaining the gesture didn’t do much to change their tense relationship. With their estranged relationship running close to four years, Zach sat down during the Little People, Big World season 25 finale to address the future for him and Matt (via Entertainment Tonight).
Zach has moved on from trying to make amends with Matt, noting that the ship had sailed on reconciliation plans, and they don’t have much of a relationship anymore. Instead of trying to mend fences, Zach is focused on doing his own thing and caring for his family. However, while time might even things out between Matt and Zach, and they might one day find healing, Zach believes their relationship will never be the same. While the Roloff Farms outdoor lifestyle was a big part of Zach’s childhood, it won’t be for his children.
Zach Roloff Doesn’t Want To Be In Matt Roloff’s Shadow Anymore
Zach Is Forging A Path Away From Matt
Zach spent the better part of his adulthood playing second fiddle to his father, Matt, hoping he could one day take over the Roloff Farms. However, since realizing Matt had no intentions of handing it over, Zach has taken steps to leave his father’s shadow and carve out his own identity. Zach’s first move was to relocate his family to Washington, where they could get a fresh start as a family and try things away from his father. In February, Zach and Tori launched their podcast titled, Raising Heights.
Zach and Tori’s podcast has been a massive hit with Little People, Big World fans. During one of their first episodes, the couple mentioned their plans to exit the show. Before moving, Zach coached competitive youth soccer teams in Oregon and participated in several International Dwarf Soccer tournaments. Seeing him lacing his boots again in Washington wouldn’t be surprising. After spending significant parts of the last 18 years as one of the main characters on Little People Big World alongside his father, Zach hopes to spend the next years making a name for himself outside the show.
