Bravo superfan Chrissy Teigen is wondering if maybe the public scrutiny Tom Sandoval and Rachel Leviss received after their bombshell cheating scandal surfaced was unwarranted.
“I’m the queen of rewatching Bravo shows [from] beginning to end. And I watched the last season before they went into Tahoe and everything,” Teigen, 39, said during the Monday, March 17, episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. “So I watched the reunion season where Ariana [Madix] was so devastated and so hurt. And everybody was so angry at Rachel and Tom, of course. Then you look back on it and you’re like, ’Oh my God, did we do too much?’”
Teigen was referring to Vanderpump Rules season 10, which aired in 2023. After filming wrapped, Sandoval, 42, and Madix, 39, called it quits after nearly a decade of dating when Madix learned of his affair with Leviss, 30. The breakup, which was dubbed Scandoval, became a hot topic and the primary focus of the show’s reunion special and its following season. Many fans declared their support for Madix and labeled Sandoval and Leviss as the ultimate reality TV villains.
Two years after the drama went down, Teigen couldn’t help but question if the public outcry was excessive.
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“We were, as a society, so tough on them. And of course, it was raw, right? It was so raw to them,” she recalled. “I think it happened three weeks from when it happened to the reunion. So taking that space and learning like, ‘Oh my God. That was a lot for a person to take on. They already feel shamed by the whole world. It made the news, the New York Times, Variety … it was absolutely everywhere.”
While Scandoval had a negative impact on the trio directly, the show found success in its aftermath. Vanderpump Rules earned its first Emmy nomination in 2023. While Leviss left the series after the scandal, season 11 picked up right in the aftermath of the drama. The friend group navigated life as the scandal continued to make headlines and Sandoval attempted to regain public favor via a so-called redemption tour. Season 11 ended with Sandoval attempting to have a conversation with Madix, but she walked away and declined to film with him.
The finale left fans wondering what would be next for the series and its stars. Bravo ultimately gave Us an answer and decided that season 12 would feature an entirely new ensemble cast.
Why ‘Vanderpump Rules’ EP Wishes Scandoval ‘Never Happened’
During her Watch What Happens Live appearance, Teigen was initially asked about her thoughts on Vanderpump Rules getting the reboot treatment. After reflecting on the last two seasons of the Bravo series, Teigen agreed it was time for a new direction.
“I agree there should be a reboot and the old cast seems to be in favor of it,” she said. “It just seemed like it had run its course and it had an end. I think the next season is going to be absolutely amazing.”
