Chris Jacobs Bio, Age, Career, Net Worth, Wife Vanessa Garcia, Daughter Scarlett, and Past Engagement to Ivy Teves

When it comes to television personalities who can balance professionalism with warmth, Chris Jacobs is a name that quickly comes to mind. Born on January 30, 1970, in Chicago, Illinois, Jacobs has built a career spanning entertainment journalism, automotive television, and reality programming. He first caught national attention as the charismatic co-host of Overhaulin’, where his easygoing style connected gearheads and casual viewers alike to the artistry of car restoration. Jacobs further expanded his presence in the automotive sector by hosting Mecum Auctions, providing informed commentary and coverage for some of the most notable classic and collector car sales in the United States. His career also includes stints on Entertainment Tonight and his acclaimed role on TLC’s Long Lost Family, a deeply emotional series that helps reunite long-lost relatives. Jacobs’s own life experiences—being adopted and later meeting his biological mother at the age of 23—gave him a unique empathy that resonated with audiences worldwide.

Having established himself as a versatile and relatable figure in the entertainment industry, Jacobs’s public persona has always hinted at a man who values meaningful human connections. That same connection to people’s stories extends into his own life—and in recent years, his personal milestones have been just as newsworthy as his professional achievements.

Marriage to Vanessa Garcia

Chris Jacobs is married to Vanessa Garcia, a first-generation half Filipino, half Mexican-American actress, painter, and artist born and raised in Los Angeles. Her acting résumé includes appearances in The Closer, CSI, NCIS, Stitchers, S.W.A.T., and MacGyver, alongside her career in visual arts.

Jacobs has occasionally shared personal glimpses of their life together, including an ongoing birthday tradition of taking Vanessa to Nobu Malibu—celebrated five years in a row—which he described in an April 2025 Facebook post as “the tradition continues.” On August 1, 2024, the couple married at the Lakeside Country Club in Toluca Lake, California. Chris wore a tailored light blue suit with a green tie, while Vanessa wore an ivory satin gown with a sweeping veil. The wedding featured a first dance on the lawn and a white floral-adorned cake, enjoyed with family and friends.

Daughter Scarlett

Their family life began before the wedding, with the birth of their daughter Scarlett in March 2022. Wrench Inc., where Chris is a spokesperson, publicly congratulated them on the occasion. On Vanessa’s first Mother’s Day in 2022, Chris posted that the day was “perfect in every way, starting off how it always should, with a smile,” adding, “Mama and papa love you with every ounce of our hearts, little Scarlett.”

By 2025, he described Vanessa and Scarlett as “my favorite people to take pictures of” and reflected on “what an incredible journey it’s been so far.” When Chris and Vanessa exchanged vows in 2024, Scarlett was right there by their side—dressed in a white dress and joining her parents at the cake table—a moment that captured both the joy of their wedding and the strong family bond they had built together.

Previous Relationship

Before marrying Vanessa Garcia, Chris Jacobs was engaged to television host and model Ivy Teves. The proposal took place on August 10, 2016, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, immediately after Chris threw out a ceremonial first pitch before a Chicago Cubs game. Teves, known for her work as a host and ambassador for the World Poker Tour on FSN-TV, accepted the proposal in front of fans at the stadium.

The couple was publicly seen together at various events during their relationship, including a friend’s wedding in Toluca Lake in July 2017, where Jacobs shared photos of the two smiling together and enjoying the celebration. While their engagement drew considerable media attention at the time, it ultimately ended without marriage. Available public records and interviews indicate there were no other confirmed romantic relationships before his engagement to Teves.

Net Worth

As of 2025, Chris Jacobs’s net worth is estimated between $1 million and $5 million. This figure is based on publicly available sources and is primarily derived from his long-running career as a television host, actor, and brand spokesperson. His work on popular shows such as Overhaulin’, Long Lost Family, and Entertainment Tonight has been his main source of income, along with occasional acting roles, endorsements, and public appearances.

Chris Jacobs Background

Chris Jacobs was born with a natural inclination toward performance and public engagement. By the age of 12 or 13, he was already putting on musical shows in his parents’ basement during their dinner parties—an early sign of his extroverted personality and desire to entertain. Determined to enter the entertainment industry, he recognized the need to be in California to pursue acting opportunities.

Jacobs attended Whittier College, a small liberal arts institution in California, where he majored in English. Seeking to extend his education before entering the working world, he enrolled at Western State College of Law in Fullerton. Excelling in his studies, he completed law school in just two and a half years and passed the California Bar Exam on his first attempt in February 1995. Although he earned his law license, his ultimate goal remained a career in entertainment.

His early post-law school years were marked by persistence and determination. He landed his very first audition—a commercial for Old Spice—which opened the door to further acting roles, including guest appearances on television and minor film parts. After nearly eight years of building his resume, Jacobs secured his breakthrough role in 2003 as co-host of Overhaulin’, marking his transition from acting to hosting and establishing his presence in the automotive television space.

Adoption and Reunion

Jacobs was adopted as an infant, a fact that became a defining element of his personal history. At the age of 23, he met his birth mother for the first time. He has described the moment as vivid and unforgettable, marked by strong anticipation and excitement. While he has reflected that such a meeting might have carried even greater emotional weight later in life, the reunion began a process of building a relationship from an initial point of unfamiliarity. Meeting a biological parent who was, in many ways, a stranger required time, patience, and mutual openness, eventually leading to a deeper understanding of one another.

His adoption experience has had a lasting impact on his work as co-host of Long Lost Family, a series dedicated to reuniting individuals with lost relatives. Drawing on his own journey, Jacobs relates to the feelings of uncertainty, guarded hope, and profound relief that participants often experience. He regards the program as the most genuine project of his career—devoid of sensationalism or manipulation—and focused solely on the honest, emotional moment when people who have searched for each other are finally brought together.

Lesser-Known Facts About Chris Jacobs

1. Licensed Attorney Before TV Career – Passed the California Bar Exam on his first try in February 1995 after graduating from Western State College of Law in Fullerton.
2. Always Wanted to Perform – As a child, staged musical shows in his parents’ basement during dinner parties, showing early ambitions to be an entertainer.
3. Whittier College Graduate – Chose the small liberal arts college in California to position himself closer to the entertainment industry.
4. First Commercial Audition Success – Landed his very first audition, an Old Spice commercial, which kick-started his acting/hosting career.
5. Breakthrough Came in 2003 – After eight years of small roles, became co-host of Overhaulin’, which transitioned him from acting to hosting and introduced him to the car world.
6. Not Originally a Car Expert – Grew up admiring cars but learned automotive knowledge hands-on while filming Overhaulin’.
7. Switch-Hitter in Golf – Naturally left-handed but started playing golf right-handed because of his dad’s clubs. Has switched between lefty and righty multiple times before settling on lefty around 2015.
8. Former Caddy at Skokie Country Club – Worked as a teenage caddy before he even played golf himself, learning golf etiquette early on.
9. Collects Golf Pencils and Scorecards – Keeps one from every course he plays, from major venues like Pebble Beach to small local tracks.
10. Friends with Scotty Cameron – Introduced through a mutual friend, sharing a mutual love of cars and golf. Has visited Cameron’s workshop and traded car and golf memorabilia with him.
11. Golf Handicap Range – Lowest index ever was around 6.9; currently about a 9.1. Usually scores between 77 and 87.
12. Favorite Club – Prefers his 60-degree wedge due to his strong short game. Least favorite is the driver.
13. Best Score – Career low round is 74.
14. Never Had a Hole-in-One – Has come within an inch several times but never converted.
15. Celebrity Foursome Picks – Would love to play with Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Arnold Palmer, and Ben Hogan (and also with his late father again).
16. Overhaulin’ Longevity – Across multiple revivals, the show aired 160+ episodes over about 17 years, despite being canceled and revived multiple times.
17. Show Production Challenge – Overhaulin’ was more expensive than typical reality car shows because it required sourcing people, parts, and labor specifically for each build.

Wiki Bio Facts Table

Field	Information
Full Name	Chris Jacobs
Date of Birth	January 30, 1970
Age	55 (as of 2025)
Birthplace	Chicago, Illinois, USA
Nationality	American
Occupation	Television host, Actor
Notable Shows	Overhaulin’, Long Lost Family, Entertainment Tonight
Years Active	1990s–present
Highschool	Glenbrook North High School
Marital Status	Married
Spouse	Vanessa Garcia (m. 2024)
Children	Scarlett (born March 2022)
Previous Partner	Ivy Teves (engaged 2016; relationship ended)
Adoption	Adopted; reunited with biological mother at age 23
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Net Worth	Estimated $1 million–$5 million (as of 2025)