Lifestyle Home Ben Napier Once Accidentally Took Pain Meds Before a Speaking Engagement: 'My Confidence Soared' (Exclusive) The HGTV star underwent shoulder surgery last March, the occasionally hilarious aftermath of which will feature on the upcoming season of 'Home Town' By Kimberlee Speakman Kimberlee Speakman Kimberlee Speakman is a digital writer at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2022. Her work has previously appeared in Forbes and she has also worked in broadcast television as a reporter for Hawaii-based news station KHON2 News. People Editorial Guidelines and Mackenzie Schmidt Mackenzie Schmidt Mackenzie Schmidt is the Home and Travel Editor for PEOPLE. She's worked at PEOPLE for over five years as a writer and editor on the Lifestyle team. People Editorial Guidelines Published on December 14, 2023 05:40PM EST Close Photo: Erin Napier/Instagram The road to recovery hasn't been entirely smooth for Ben Napier, but it's always been hilarious. While speaking to PEOPLE about the upcoming new season of Home Town (out Jan. 7), which includes his recovering from rotator cuff surgery earlier this year, the HGTV star, 40, revealed that he had a bit of a mishap after the operation. “I had surgery,” Ben began, before his wife, Erin, cut in, “And like three days later, we had a speaking engagement.” “... At a Southern Baptist college,” he continued. “And I took my medicine right before I went in and it hit while I was on stage." The result was a mixed bag for the woodworker, and likely an odd experience for the attendees. "My confidence soared, and I could not keep a train of thought," he recalled. "The whole time I knew what was going on.” The experience was especially surreal for Ben, who's always been straight-laced. “I’ve never drank. I’ve never taken anything so it was like, ‘Woah,’” he said. HGTV's Ben Napier Recovering from Shoulder Surgery with 'Best Nurse in the Biz' Wife Erin by His Side A few scenes in the new season were also captured while Ben was still on post-op medication, the couple shared. “There's apparently a scene where we were Facetiming and I was at the house...” Erin, 37, explained, to which Ben jokingly responded, “I don't know. I do not remember this FaceTime at all because I was on drugs.” A photo of Ben Napier recovering from surgery as seen on Erin Napier's Instagram. Erin Napier/instagram In March, Erin posted a photo of her husband to Instagram, showing him sprawled on the couch sporting a hospital bracelet and a shoulder sling alongside the caption, "Rotator cuff repaired ✅ bone spur shaved off ✅ cartilage trimmed.” She also added a sweet addendum: "Best nurse in the biz." The photo's foreground features a get well soon note with crayon hearts signed by the couple's older daughter Helen, 5. The couple also share daughter Mae, 22 months. Ben and Erin Napier's Relationship Timeline The Home Town stars have had a solid track record of taking care of each other when health issues arise, most notably during their earlier years together. As detailed in the Napiers' memoir Make Something Good Today, a mysterious illness plagued Erin for a decade. It turned out to be a perforated appendix that had been bursting and healing itself repeatedly. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "It was a really sad and scary and confusing ten years," she told PEOPLE at the time. Ben cared for her through episodes that could last up to a week, leaving her unable to move without pain. After several surgeries, the issue was eventually resolved and despite fears it would affect their ability to have children, they've welcomed their two girls. "There's always a light in the darkness," she said. A new season of Home Town premieres Sunday, January 7, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV. And the Napiers' one-hour Christmas special Home Town Holidays airs Sunday, Dec. 17, at 8 p.m. ET/PT.