Christina on the Coast fans are used to seeing stunning transformations, breezy California vibes — and designer Christina Haack’s trusted right-hand man, James Bender. But lately, there’s been a noticeable shift. The hit HGTV series just wrapped its fifth season, but viewers are more focused on who’s not showing up onscreen. James, Christina’s longtime project manager and go-to design partner, has been mysteriously absent — replaced in recent episodes by new collaborator Kylie Wing. Christina has been posting enthusiastically about Kylie, sparking speculation that a behind-the-scenes shake-up may be more than just temporary. Now fans are wondering: has James Bender quietly exited Christina on the Coast for good?
The Mystery of Kylie Wing and James Bender
In Oct. 2024, Christina Haack made a major business announcement that Kylie Wing would be her new business partner as the pair launched Christina & Kylie. Once things became official, fans slowly started to see Kylie’s presence more on Christina on the Coast. So who exactly was this mysterious woman? She began with a career in fashion before jumping into the world of interior design by outfitting Airbnb’s. Prior to joining forces with the HGTV star, she had her own firm called Wing Home Interiors. The mom of three began appearing on Christina on the Coast, and though at the time James Bender was still in the picture, the tides began to shift.
As noted in an episode of the show, Christina said, “James and I are overwhelmed. The only way to grow the business is to grow the team… Growing is obviously a good problem to have.” And grow they did. However, once the second part of the Season 5 episodes dropped, James was notably missing from The Flip Off, with Kylie effectively taking the co-pilot position on Christina on the Coast in the latter half.
As Christina and Kylie push their business on social media, it caught the attention of fans who hoped for answers about what happened to James. Multiple people said how they “missed James,” but the questions haven’t stopped Christina from ensuring Kylie is a part of her design brand. While there has not been any discussion from either party about what might be happening, James had a cordial relationship with Christina’s ex-husband, Josh Hall, on the show.
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Could ‘Christina on the Coast’ Have Some Drama?
The mystery has brought a little off-camera drama beyond Christina’s very public romantic life. While it’s likely to never be addressed on camera, viewers would certainly love some answers as to what happened to James — answers that have yet to be addressed.
James last posted about Christina in Aug. 2024 with a slew of fans asking why he was no longer on the show, but those questions have seemingly gone unanswered as the mystery deepens. James’ HGTV bio still lists him as a designer “who works closely” with at least three Christina Hall shows, so viewers will need to wait to see if production, Christina or James finally make a statement.
Christina on the Coast is available to stream on Max.
