The most dramatic Bravo breakups in history: From Stassi and Jax to Erika and Tom and all the drama on 'Southern Charm'
From explosive Real Housewives breakups to tumultuous Summer House splits, Bravo stars have experienced their fair share of messy and dramatic relationship endings Take a look at the most unforgettable Bravo breakups of all time!
Bravo stars from all franchises have endured the messiest of breakups. Fans have learned to anticipate the unexpected and exercise caution when it comes to vow renewals. In November 2020, Erika Jayne shocked fans by announcing her split from Tom Girardi after more than two decades of marriage. However, just a month later, news surfaced about a lawsuit filed against them, leading some to speculate that their divorce was merely a ploy to safeguard their assets. Erika vehemently denied these accusations, but the true extent of the complexity and turmoil surrounding their separation was laid bare on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
In a different area of Los Angeles, the cast of Vanderpump Rules experienced an array of dramatic breakups, many of which were captured on camera. During the same period when Stassi Schroeder and Jax Taylor ended their relationship, their friend Kristen Doute and Jax's close friend Tom Sandoval also called it quits. This happened after it was revealed that Kristen and Jax had been intimate.
To Kristen's dismay, Sandoval soon started dating Ariana Madix. However, despite the odds, the women managed to form a friendship over the years. Kristen showed her support for Ariana when she went through her own breakup with Sandoval in March 2023, caused by his affair with their costar, Raquel Leviss.
Scroll to see more of the messiest Bravo splits through the years:
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The Messiest Bravo Breakups of All Time: From Stassi and Jax to Erika and Tom and Everyone on ‘Southern Charm’
Bravo stars from various franchises have experienced tumultuous breakups. Fans of the network have learned to expect the unexpected when it comes to love, especially when a vow renewal is involved.
In November 2020, just one month after revealing her separation from Tom Girardi after more than two decades of marriage, Erika Jayne faced further controversy when a lawsuit was filed against them. Some speculated that the divorce had been staged to protect their assets, given the rapid sequence of events. However, Erika vehemently denied these allegations, and the true extent of the messy situation was revealed on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, where she delved into the details of their split.
In a different part of Los Angeles years ago, the cast of Vanderpump Rules experienced numerous dramatic breakups, many of which were captured on camera. Around the same time that Stassi Schroeder and Jax Taylor ended their relationship, their friend Kristen Doute and Jax's best friend Tom Sandoval also called it quits after their secret affair was exposed. Despite Kristen's disappointment, Sandoval began dating Ariana Madix shortly thereafter. Against all odds and over the years, the women managed to develop a friendship. Kristen showed her support for Ariana when she went through her own breakup with Sandoval in March 2023, caused by his affair with fellow cast member Raquel Leviss.
Scroll to see more of the messiest Bravo splits through the years:
Credit: Clifton Prescod/Bravo
The Messiest Bravo Breakups of All Time: From Stassi and Jax to Erika and Tom and Everyone on ‘Southern Charm’
Bravo stars across various shows have experienced tumultuous breakups. Fans have learned to expect the unexpected when it comes to love on the network, especially when it involves a vow renewal. In November 2020, just a month after Erika Jayne announced her separation from Tom Girardi following over two decades of marriage, news emerged of a lawsuit against them. Given the rapid sequence of events, some speculated that the divorce may have been staged to safeguard their assets. Erika vehemently denied these allegations, but viewers got a closer look at the messy situation on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills when she delved into the specifics of their split.
In a different part of Los Angeles, several years ago, the Vanderpump Rules cast experienced a series of dramatic breakups, many of which were captured on camera. Just as Stassi Schroeder and Jax Taylor ended their relationship, their friend Kristen Doute and Jax's best friend Tom Sandoval also called it quits. The reason behind their breakup was the revelation that Kristen and Jax had slept together.
To Kristen's dismay, Sandoval soon started dating Ariana Madix. However, despite the odds, the women formed a friendship over the years. Kristen showed her support for Ariana after her own breakup with Sandoval in March 2023, which occurred due to his affair with fellow cast member Raquel Leviss.
Scroll to see more of the messiest Bravo splits through the years:
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Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval
Ariana and Sandoval's breakup in March 2023 caused a significant change in the Bravo universe. After being together for almost ten years, their relationship ended due to Sandoval's infidelity with Raquel. As a result, Vanderpump Rules resumed filming for season 10, documenting the aftermath of their split. Although Ariana and Sandoval returned for season 11, Raquel chose not to participate.
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Carl Radke and Lindsay Hubbard
When Carl ended his engagement to Lindsay in August 2023, the co-stars of The Summer House were just three months away from getting married. Lindsay revealed during an exclusive interview with We that Carl had informed the producers about his intention to end their relationship after the completion of filming for season 8.
"It was incredibly embarrassing. It would have been tolerable if this conversation had taken place during the regular filming period over the summer," she revealed to Us in November 2023. "However, the fact that [Carl] contacted the producers to arrange cameras and then manipulated me into sitting down [just to break up with me] after we had already completed filming is truly terrifying. The entire world discovered the news within a mere 30 minutes of me."
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Drew Sidora and Ralph Pittman
After initiating her divorce proceedings in February 2023, the Real Housewives of Atlanta celebrity leveled allegations of both mental and financial abuse against her estranged spouse. Furthermore, she made claims that Ralph, her partner with whom she has two children, is involved in multiple instances of infidelity.
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Katie Maloney and Tom Schwartz
When they filed for divorce in 2022, the Vanderpump Rules stars had vowed to remain friends. However, while filming season 10 of the Bravo show, things took a messy turn as Schwartz got involved with Raquel Leviss.
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Erika Jayne and Tom Girardi
In November 2020, the Broadway actress caused a stir among her fans by revealing her decision to separate from her husband of over two decades.
In a statement, she expressed, "After careful thought, I have made the difficult choice to end my marriage with Tom Girardi. This decision was not made lightly, as I hold a deep love and admiration for Tom and the life we have created together. It is my sincere desire to navigate this process with dignity, respect, and the privacy that both Tom and I deserve. I kindly ask for others to honor our privacy during this time."
Unfortunately, the split quickly turned chaotic when they were hit with a class action lawsuit the next month. "I used to be labeled a gold digger when I filed for divorce. Now, I'm being accused of being a conspirator. I mean, seriously? None of these claims are true," the "Painkillr" singer vented on a July 2021 episode of RHOBH.
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Gina and Matt Kirschenheiter
After joining The Real Housewives of Orange County in 2018, this New Jersey native found herself in a complicated situation regarding her marriage to Matt. Although they were technically still together, the couple lived separately, and Matt never made an appearance on the show, leaving fans curious about the state of their relationship.
Things took a darker turn in June 2019 when Gina was forced to obtain a restraining order against Matt after he allegedly assaulted her at their shared residence. This incident occurred while the couple was attempting to salvage their marriage following an initial separation earlier that year. Although the restraining order was eventually dismissed in June 2021, Gina bravely confronted the incident during a court hearing in April 2021.
“I thought I was on the brink of death. Even now, the mere recollection of how I beseeched you to cease and contemplate the welfare of our children sends shivers down my spine,” she reflected, harking back to that instance. “It has taken an extensive amount of time, self-care, and therapy to navigate the aftermath of that fateful night. Nonetheless, I have managed to forgive you for the majority of it. I acknowledge that this night will forever be etched in my mind as a haunting memory. I have come to accept that reality.”
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Phaedra Parks and Apollo Nida
The star of The Real Housewives of Atlanta divorced her husband of five years in October 2014. In the same year, Apollo, her husband, admitted guilt in a fraud case and received an eight-year prison sentence. During his sentencing, the businessman expressed doubt about the survival of their marriage during his time behind bars.
"I highly doubt it," he remarked on Atlanta's B100 radio station that July. "I mean, my wife didn't even bother to show up for my sentencing. I'm still bitter about that."
The separation was equally challenging, as the divorce proceedings lasted for nearly three years before reaching a resolution.
“He continuously appealed for the divorce and eventually it was approved. Apollo and I began dating during our high school years, and now that I'm in my early 40s, it was time for us to part ways," Phaedra exclusively disclosed to Us in November 2017. "It has been almost a lifetime. I am grateful that it's finally over, but also appreciative that it happened because we were blessed with two beautiful children."
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Naomie Olindo and Craig Conover
The Southern Charm stars ended their relationship in September 2017 after being together for three years. The breakup was filled with a lot of arguments, mainly due to Craig being unemployed at the time. It was a difficult time for both of them, especially when they had to watch it unfold on television.
For Craig, the hardest part was the fact that they used to be inseparable. He admitted in May 2018 that he wished there was some sort of cheating or betrayal involved because it would have made more sense. He found it puzzling when he heard his ex saying on the show that she still had feelings for him. It seemed like she had already made up her mind about ending the relationship.
Naomie later found herself in another tumultuous breakup when her boyfriend of three years, Metul Shah, was accused of cheating on her in July 2021. In an Instagram Story, she expressed her embarrassment and felt lost, urging others to refrain from sending or saying hateful things about Metul. She made it clear that she had self-respect and had no intentions of reconciling with him, acknowledging that he was also going through a difficult time due to the repercussions of his actions.
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Kristen Doute and Tom Sandoval
At the conclusion of season 2 of Vanderpump Rules, the couple decided to end their six-year relationship. The split occurred due to Kristen's infidelity with Tom's friend Jax. However, the bartender, who was caught texting a bottle service waitress, was not entirely free from drama. Shortly after their breakup, Tom initiated a romantic involvement with another costar, Ariana, leading Kristen to assert that their relationship had commenced while she was still with her previous partner.
In her book, "He's Making You Crazy," Kristen stated that she decided to let go of everything, regardless of whether or not she believed the rumors about her partner cheating on her. She realized that it was irrelevant because, according to her, a person cannot steal someone's boyfriend; he willingly chose to leave her and be with someone else. Despite his ex's forgiveness, Tom was not happy with how he was portrayed in the memoir.
"I don't even know where to start when it comes to that book. I believe she was simply trying to boost sales," he stated during a November 2020 appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. "I actually read the part about our relationship. It was filled with numerous inconsistencies. The primary one being that our computer was situated in our living room and we always had a roommate. Additionally, I can't recall Kristen ever owning any lingerie."
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Meghan King and Jim Edmonds
Following her marriage to a baseball player, Meghan became a member of the cast for The Real Housewives of Orange County. While viewers witnessed their uncomfortable discussions and struggles with fertility on the show, the turbulence they experienced post-reality TV was far more intense.
In June 2019, Jim faced accusations of sending a self-pleasuring video to another woman on the very day Meghan gave birth to their twins, Hayes and Hart. Though Edmonds unequivocally denied the allegations to Us exclusively, the trouble persisted. Four months later, Us disclosed that Meghan had accused her husband of engaging in an "affair" with their 22-year-old nanny. Once again, he vehemently denied the allegations. The former couple, who also have a daughter named Aspen, finalized their divorce in May 2021.
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Bethenny Frankel and Jason Hoppy
Although initially delightful with a spinoff series called Bethenny Ever After, the Real Housewives of New York City personality's love story took a bitter turn when the duo separated in 2012 following three years of wedded bliss.
According to a source close to the Skinnygirl founder, the divorce has had a significant impact on her. Her main concern is her daughter's well-being, and she is eager for the divorce to be concluded as quickly as possible. However, Jason has been prolonging the process, causing frustration for Bethenny, who simply wants to move on. Despite primarily focusing on their daughter, Bryn, the proceedings persisted and the divorce was only finalized in January 2021.
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Malia White and Adam Glick
When Malia arrived on the Below Deck Mediterranean ship during season 2, it was quickly revealed that two men were infatuated with her. And she simply couldn't choose!
The fans soon found out that the deckhand and chef Adam had a pre-existing relationship and chose to conceal it from their fellow cast members. This posed a difficulty when she developed an interest in Wes Walton.
"There was a point where she completely manipulated me," Adam expressed.
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Stassi Schroeder and Jax Taylor
Once upon a time, Vanderpump Rules began with a relationship between SUR bartender Jax and server Stassi.
After the sweater designer previously deceived the author of Next Level Basic with a woman from Las Vegas (and subsequently with her BFF Kristen in an attempt to regain the affection of the Louisiana native), they agreed to end the relationship. However, their professional collaboration continued to be fraught with complications. While Stassi found solace with colleague Frank, Jax persistently pursued her, albeit unsuccessfully.
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Shannon and David Beador
The RHOC couple divorced in September 2017 after 17 years of marriage. After their split, drama ensued when David's new wife, Lesley Beador, accused Shannon of not sending a baby gift for their first child. However, Lesley later retracted her claim. Shannon clarified to Jeff Lewis that she had indeed sent a present, prompting David to send angry texts to the podcaster. These texts were then read aloud during a March 2021 episode of his SiriusXM show.
Jeff described the message as follows: "Jeff, great podcast. You and Shannon seem to lack excitement. All you seem to do is discuss me and my wife. You're a loser. It's satisfying to see karma catch up to you a couple of times. What a fool you are." Jeff further stated, "I congratulated David on the arrival of his new baby and expressed hope that he is enjoying Shannon's present. Additionally, I included a small gift emoji."
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Austen Kroll and Madison LeCroy
The turbulent romance between the celebrities from Southern Charm unfolded on screen during the sixth installment of the reality series. Throughout the course of their relationship, the duo experienced a plethora of dramatic moments, with rumors of potential infidelity on Kroll's side adding to the mix. However, in December 2020, their separation was confirmed by Us magazine.
"I believe that the quarantine was a test for our relationship, and unfortunately, it didn't make us stronger," Madison revealed to Us at the time. "We weren't even quarantined together. We did spend a short period of time together, but we both realized that there were too many past issues for us to play house for 14 days or however long it was."
When Jay Cutler and Kristin Cavallari entered the picture, fans were treated to some classic reality TV drama. Several months after their 10-year relationship ended, Kristin made headlines for hanging out with Austen and his friends in Charleston. Meanwhile, Madison created a buzz when she hinted at spending time with Jay.
“I’m not kissing and telling,” she quipped during a January 2021 appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen.
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Kathryn Dennis and Thomas Ravenel
What's happening in Charleston? Thomas and Kathryn's tumultuous relationship was extensively documented in the first four seasons of Southern Charm, featuring numerous public feuds. While on the show, they had two children together but eventually ended their relationship in 2016. During the split, Thomas accused Kathryn of drug abuse and was awarded custody of the kids.
However, the story didn't end there. In 2017, a court-appointed doctor recommended joint co-parenting, leading the former couple to agree on 50/50 custody. A year later, Kathryn sought sole custody of their son and daughter. Although they continued with a shared arrangement, Kathryn faced another setback in March 2021, losing some privileges and being granted supervised visitation only on weekends.
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Luann de Lesseps and Tom D'Agostino
In August 2017, the Real Housewives of New York City star and the businessman announced their separation, just seven months into their marriage. Before their split, their tumultuous relationship was a major storyline on the Bravo reality series. Dorinda Medley, Bethenny, and Carole Radziwill had informed the former countess about rumors of infidelity concerning her then-fiancé. Despite this, the "Elegance Is Learned" singer ultimately forgave D'Agostino even after he was caught kissing another woman before their wedding.
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Tamra Judge and Simon Barney
Recall the dreadful limousine journey? In an unforgettable episode from season 5 of RHOC, the proprietor of CUT Fitness expressed to her spouse that he was an "abhorrent, despicable individual" who can "go f—k" himself while en route to a party. Shortly after, Simon initiated divorce proceedings in January 2010.
While the split was finalized quickly in 2011, family drama continued when the pair’s eldest daughter, Sidney, found herself in an estranged relationship with her mother.
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Luke Gulbranson and Hannah Berner
The romantic connection between the stars of Summer House was never official, yet their relationship had its fair share of highs and lows. During the summer of 2020, while residing in their Hamptons dwelling, the host of the "Berning in Hell" podcast arrived to find an unexpected addition to their quarantine group. Luke, whom she had eagerly anticipated seeing, had brought along another woman named Ciara Miller. This revelation prompted Hannah to subsequently become engaged to Des Bishop, leading her fellow cast members to speculate if there had been any overlap in her romantic entanglements.
