EXCLUSIVE: Savannah Chrisley has secretly been dating college football star Robert Shiver for MONTHS – even while he was embroiled in his ex-wife’s ‘murder for hire’ plot – but kept it under wraps because she was ‘afraid romance would FAIL’

Savannah Chrisley has been dating former college football player Robert Shiver for almost six months and tells family and friends she believes the romance is the real deal because he isn’t after her fame and fortune, but rather her heart.

The Chrisley Knows Best star, 26, recently confirmed she was in a “very new” relationship, just days after she denied knowing Robert, 38, as they were pictured together at Los Angeles International Airport – and where she claimed he was just a man she spoke to during her flight.

But while Savannah vehemently denied even knowing Robert at the time, a source close to the Chrisley family has now revealed this couldn’t be further from the truth, saying the pair have actually been seeing each other for several months now – even while his ex wife Lindsay was arrested for allegedly hiring a hitman to kill him.

The insider revealed that the duo have been dating for almost six months, meaning they were dating when his wife’s alleged ‘murder-for-hire’ plot was revealed to the world in July this year.

As for why Savannah chose to keep the relationship a secret, the source emphasized that it wasn’t about her boyfriend’s personal scandal, but rather her own fear that the romance would ultimately “fail” like her past relationships.

“Savannah has had Robert for a few months and didn’t want to say anything because she wasn’t sure if it would work,” they said. ‘She was afraid it would end like her failed relationships.

‘But there’s one big reason why her past relationships didn’t work out: She only dated men who were with her because of her fame, not because of her. Not having a number one show has humbled her and not having Todd blow her ass has brought her back to reality.”

However, the source claimed that Savannah is “humiliated” now that she no longer has a number one show and has “changed” since her parents Todd and Julie Chrisley were in prison.

‘For once she is herself and shows a man who she is, without the money and fame. In return, she is with someone who is with her for her. She is in love with being in love,” the source added.

According to the source, Savannah used fame “as a tool to manipulate (men) and to get wooed,” adding, “ButThings are different now and she is different. She no longer has this fame and she doesn’t rake in millions like she used to – and she’s also raising two children. For once she is herself and shows Robert who she really is.’

Her secrecy about her romance with Robert – who now works as an executive vice president for Senior Life Insurance – is a drastic departure from the way she handled previous high-profile relationships.

She dated NBA star ex Luke Kennard and was engaged to hockey star Nic Kerdiles for two years until 2020, and was no stranger to showing them off on social media every day.

“Everyone is hoping this works out for her,” the source continued. “She’s definitely changed in the last few months since they went to jail.”

Savannah and Robert started dating after she entered his DMs on Instagram. She confirmed their relationship on Nick Viall’s podcast last week, saying: ‘This man I’m talking to, his wife just tried to kill him. It is well.’

Robert, the son of former Flowers Foods CEO Allen Shriver, married Lindsay in 2010 and they share three sons: Grayson, 11, Landon, 10, and Rhett, 4.

The couple was in the middle of divorce proceedings and a nasty custody battle when a murder-for-hire plot came to light.

Lindsay had reportedly been in contact with Bahamian Terrance Bethel for some time, and when Robert learned of the affair, he initiated divorce proceedings and locked her out of their home and his family’s private jet.

She also filed a counterclaim that Robert had been abusive during their marriage, when the plot came to light.

Police were investigating a burglary at Grabbers, a popular watering hole in Great Guana Cay where Terrance had worked.

Police asked employees to turn over their phones to investigate the burglary and later discovered messages between Lindsay, Terrance and potential hit man Faron Newbold discussing Robert being murdered.

She reportedly tearfully confessed to sending photos of Robert to Newbold and telling him to kill her husband.

At the time, Robert was visiting his family’s estate in nearby Baker’s Bay before his wife was arrested.

A Superior Court judge set Lindsay’s bail at $100,000, which was posted and she was released. Although there were reports that Robert paid the bail, these have since been debunked.

Lindsay is expected to remain in the Bahamas while the case continues and will be forced to surrender her passport until her indictment in October.

Robert is currently seeking sole custody of his three children.

Savannah first came into the public eye on the reality TV series Chrisley Knows Best, as the eldest daughter of Todd and Julie.

Her parents were indicted by the Georgia Department of Revenue in August 2019 on multiple charges of tax evasion and bank fraud.

While they settled the Georgia case, they still faced federal tax evasion charges, with the couple both found guilty. Todd was sentenced to twelve years in prison and Julie to seven years.

Following their incarceration, Savannah became the primary caregiver to her 16-year-old brother Grayson and 10-year-old niece Chloe, with Savannah admitting she wondered if she wanted children of her own.

“I’m in that anger part of sadness right now. I’m just mad at everything. And also, after we adopted the children. I’m like, “Okay. Do I actually want kids? Or do I?” You know, when you see how much of an impact this whole thing has had on us?’ she admitted.

Still, she made it clear that she is not angry about having to take care of her brother and niece after her parents are locked up.

‘I don’t want anyone to take what I said out of context. “I love these two kids more than life itself,” she said.

‘They are my everything. We have so much fun together. I try to have as much fun as possible.’

She will next be seen in the Fox reality series Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, which debuts on September 25.