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Tom & Raquel’s Affair Timeline: How the ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Cheating Drama Started

After nine years of dating, Vanderpump Rules stars Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix announced their split following the shocking news of the Tom and Raquel affair, which has been coined #Scandoval by fans of the show. And everyone is still reeling from the bombshell revelation.

Season 10, which began airing on February 8, 2023, started with a newly single Raquel Leviss on a journey to find herself following her break-up with DJ James Kennedy. Instead, it seems Leviss found herself tangled up in multiple affairs with married or otherwise unavailable men. This includes several make-out sessions with soon-to-be-divorced (but still technically married) co-star, Tom Schwartz, as well as a few stolen kisses at the club with Garcelle Beauvais’ son, Oliver Saunders (who is estranged from his wife but technically married). Of course, nothing we’ve seen this season compares to the now-infamous Tom and Raquel affair.

To say this web is a tangled one would be an understatement. This is a modern Shakespearean drama that spans nearly a decade, with a series of affairs, scandals, and betrayals that are almost unbelievable. And with new details of the affair coming to light every day, fans are hoping to learn everything they can about the Tom and Raquel affair timeline ahead of the season finale. It’s anyone’s guess what drama might unfold in the final episodes of the season. And Andy Cohen promises–it’s going to be one of the best season finales of VPR in years

The season 10 reunion was filmed on March 23, 2023, and Bravo announced that the first episode of the highly anticipated three-part reunion will air on May 24, 2023; after the Vanderpump Rules season 10 finale premieres on May 17, 2023. So until then–keep scrolling to learn everything we know about the details of Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss’ explosive affair. 

When Did Tom And Raquel’s affair Start? The Vanderpump Rules Drama Timeline

Raquel Leviss, Tom Sandoval, Ariana Madix

Raquel Leviss, Tom Sandoval, Ariana Madix. Photo by: Nicole Weingart/Bravo

When Tom and Raquel’s affair start? Initial reports of the affair broke in early March 2023, with sources close to the couple confirming that Sandoval and Leviss had been seeing each other secretly for at least seven months—since August 2022.

We later got confirmation of the timeline from Sandoval’s close friend and business partner Tom Schwartz during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. Schwartz admitted that he knew the two were involved in an “emotional affair” in August 2022. Though at the time, Schwartz claims that Sandoval assured him the encounter with Leviss was a one-time thing. According to Schwartz, it wasn’t until five months later in January 2023 that Sandoval admitted to Schwartz that he was “in love” with Leviss. And that he planned to leave Madix. Read on for Tom and Raqul’s full affair timeline. 

May 17, 2023: Tom Sandoval And Raquel Leviss Break Up

News broke of Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss’ breakup on May 17, 2023. Page Six reported at the time that Leviss was one to the end the relationship. “Raquel dipped out. Sandoval is not the one for her,” a source told the site at the time.

A source, however, told The Messenger at the time that Sandoval was the one to break up with Leviss so he could focus on his music. “His relationships with everyone right now are on the back burner, and he’s focusing on his music,” the insider said. “He’s about to turn 40 and trying his best to move away from all of this, but he’s struggling at times. Like anyone trying to better themselves, it’s one day at a time.”

May 11, 2023: Vanderpump Rules Season 10 Reunion Date & Trailer Announced

https://twitter.com/BravoTV/status/1656728385110802440?s=20

It’s all been leading to this. With just one week until the Vanderpump Rules season finale episode, Bravo released a sneak preview of the upcoming season 10 reunion on Twitter. “The explosive 3-part #PumpRules Reunion begins May 24th,” Bravo shared alongside the episode preview. “How did this go from a one-night-stand to a full relationship between you two?” reunion host Andy Cohen asks Sandoval and Leviss in the trailer’s opening scene. From there, we see Ariana Madix in tears telling the two of them–“I can’t think of two worse people. I can’t.”

In the trailer, we’re also given a glimpse of several long-awaited confrontations between cast members, including Katie Maloney confronting ex-husband Tom Schwartz about his involvement in the affair, VPR matron Lisa Vanderpump shaming the pair for sneaking around together, and a volatile confrontation between James Kennedy and Tom Sandoval. With so much drama packed in such a short preview, fans are excited to see what will happen next.

May 2, 2023: Vanderpump Rules Season 10 Finale Date & Trailer Leaked On Social Media

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A new drama-filled trailer for the Vanderpump Rules finale is finally here–and there’s a lot to unpack. It all started when a rough-edited version of the Vanderpump Rules finale trailer was leaked online by an anonymous source. In the clips, fans are shown the first scenes of Ariana confronting Tom Sandoval about his affair with Raquel Leviss; Schwartz admitting when he knew about the affair; as well as the highly-anticipated return of Sandoval’s ex-girlfriend and former Vanderpump Rules cast member, Kristen Doute

After the initial leak, Bravo took to its official social media channels to address the clips and set the record straight. “You may think you’ve seen the #PumpRules finale trailer…but only we have the real thing. THIS is it,” Bravo tweeted to fans, alongside the official Vanderpump Rules season 10 finale trailer. The trailer’s footage, some of which was filmed after news of the affair set social media ablaze, shows Tom Sandoval finally answering for his actions. From admitting his infidelity to friends Scheana Shay and Tom Schwartz to an explosive confrontation with now ex-girlfriend Ariana Madix to Raquel Leviss telling Tom Sandoval their affair has turned out “…so horribly wrong,”—this trailer promises to reveal all the secrets behind #Scandoval.

The Vanderpump Rules season 10 finale premieres on May 17, 2023.

April 19, 2023: The Identity Of The #Scandoval Whistleblower Is Finally Revealed

Ally Lewber, James Kennedy

Ally Lewber, James Kennedy. Photo by: Casey Durkin/Bravo

After weeks of wondering about the exact details of how the Vanderpump Rules drama first came to light, we finally got the answer during season 10 episode 12 – ‘Mistress in Distress’. Fans of the show learned that it was James Kennedy’s girlfriend, Ally Lewber, who first suspected that Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss might be sneaking around behind Ariana Madix’s back.

Although there were countless clues of the affair during the episode, the watershed moment came when Lewber revealed in a confessional that she’d seen Leviss and Sandvol out together in West Hollywood. “I saw Sandoval and Raquel dancing together at The Abbey,” Lewber told producers. “I personally wouldn’t be comfortable with it, I guess, to have my boyfriend out at 1 a.m. with girls. But everyone’s different.” The episode goes on to show Lewber sharing her story and her concerns about how close Sandoval and Leviss were getting with other cast members.

The episode finished with a shot of the group gathered for a night out, where Maloney calls out Sandoval’s puppy dog eyes for Leviss. Sandoval tries to shut Maloney up, criticizing her “getting joy” out of laughing at Leviss over her unwitting fling with Oliver Saunders, but Maloney was quick to fire back. “You get a lot of joy out of Raquel as well, I think,” she tells Sandoval, before letting him know that the group knows about his secret rendezvous with Leviss at The Abbey. Never one to admit guilt, Sandoval deflects and denied everything, replying: “What the f—k are you even saying, dude?”

April 14, 2023: Raquel Leviss Enters Voluntary Facility for Mental Health Counseling

Raquel Leviss

Raquel Leviss. Photo by: Nicole Weingart/Bravo

On April 14, 2023–it was reported that in light of recent events, reality star Raquel Leviss checked herself into a voluntary mental health facility. The news is later confirmed by one of Leviss’s reps in an exclusive for Entertainment Tonight. “Raquel and her family decided months before the relationship was discovered that she needed mental health treatment and ultimately decided she would enter a voluntary facility for mental health counseling,” sources say. 

According to her team, Leviss had planned to seek treatment for her mental health sooner but postponed her original treatment plan to film the season 10 reunion and fulfill her contractual obligations with Bravo. “She was scheduled to go in pre-reunion but decided she wanted to finish her filming commitment,” the rep explained. “Bravo and production were aware and in support of her journey toward better mental health.”

April 11, 2023: Tom Sandoval Finally Tells His Side of the Story 

Tom Sandoval

Tom Sandoval. Photo by: Casey Durkin/Bravo

Following Schwartz’s appearance on Watch What Happens Live, Sandoval broke his silence and set the record straight during his guest appearance on Howie Mandel’s podcast in April 2023. Sandoval explained that he and Leviss first began their affair after sharing a kiss at a small after-party following the events of “Guys Night” at the Mondrian Hotel in Los Angeles; which was featured in season 10 episode 6—‘Divorce Party Crashers’.

Sandoval claims that he and Leviss had gone back to the home he shared with then-girlfriend Ariana Madix to talk; and that they spent hours talking in the backyard after getting “locked out” of the house. According to Sandoval the attraction between them was natural and the kiss totally unplanned. “We were talking, moving closer, and as we were talking, as time went on, we would just start talking closer and closer, and then all of a sudden, we’re kissing,” Sandoval says of the pair’s first encounter. “I felt something that I hadn’t felt in so long, like, emotionally.”

However, listeners and long-time fans of Vanderpump Rules were quick to point out that Mandel had dropped the ball in his interview with Sandoval. Not only did Mandel admit to being unfamiliar with all of the people involved in the Vanderpump Rules drama, he offered no pushback or follow-up to any of the conflicting claims made by Sandoval. The interview was so controversial that Vanderpump Rules producer Andy Cohen weighed in during an episode of his SiriusXM show, Andy Cohen Live, saying: “I’m surprised he [Sandoval] gave an interview to someone who doesn’t seem to be familiar with the show or watched the show on any level.”

April 5, 2023: Tom Schwartz Confirms #Scandoval Timeline On Watch What Happens Live

Andy Cohen, Tom Sandoval, James Kennedy, Raquel Leviss, Ariana Madix

Andy Cohen, Tom Sandoval, James Kennedy, Raquel Leviss, Ariana Madix. Photo by: Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

One month after news of the affair broke, Tom Schwartz finally sat down with Andy Cohen to explain his role in the events leading up to #Scandoval. During his appearance on Watch What Happens Live, he was very open (some might say too open) with the details of the affair. According to Schwartz, the secret romance between Sandoval and Leviss had been going on for quite some time, though he denied knowing the affair had been going on as long as it had. 

“Tom was having a mid-life crisis,” Schwartz explained to host Andy Cohen. “From my point of view, it became an emotional affair—which is still inappropriate, but I didn’t think it was a linear thing.” He goes on to say that it wasn’t until January 2023 that Sandoval admitted to being in love with Leviss. And Schwartz claims that Sandoval assured him that he’d handle the break-up with Madix the right way. “I’m being fed a narrative that he has broken up with Ariana or attempted to multiple times—and he’s not happy, they’re not healthy, they’re not intimate,” Schwartz said. “All of it’s inconsequential now in light of the way he handled it.”

March 23, 2023: The Season 10 Vanderpump Rules Reunion Films

Lala Kent, James Kennedy, Katie Maloney, Ariana Madix, Andy Cohen, Lisa Vanderpump, Tom Sandoval, Tom Schwartz, Scheana Shay

Lala Kent, James Kennedy, Katie Maloney, Ariana Madix, Andy Cohen, Lisa Vanderpump, Tom Sandoval, Tom Schwartz, Scheana Shay. Photo by: Nicole Weingart/Bravo

The season-10 reunion of Vanderpump Rules is filmed on March 23, 2023; and it’s reported that Leviss and Shay are filming separately due to the restraining order (which was dismissed just a few days later). Cohen says he started by filming one-on-one interviews with Ariana Madix, Tom Sandoval, and Raquel Leviss to hear their version of the events; before bringing the entire cast together to discuss the events of the season and the affair. 

Later that evening, friends of Madix shared an Instagram story of the entire crowd booing a news clip of Sandoval and Leviss at a bar. In the video, Madix is wearing a bright yellow sweatsuit with the words “1-800-BOYS-LIE” on it and is seen booing loudly while giving a thumbs down. Meanwhile, TMZ captures exclusive photos of Sandoval and Leviss going out for dinner together after the taping. The two were also seen having a heart-to-heart during a smoke break outside the studio during Thursday’s reunion taping.

During SiriusXM’s Radio Andy broadcast that aired on April 3, the long-time Bravo host shared a sneak peek of what fans could expect to see during the season 10 reunion. “It was a real reckoning. If you are looking to hear their story, you will. If you are looking for them to be confronted to their face about what they’ve done in, what I would say, an impressive manner, confrontational manner, you will get it,” said Cohen.

March 15, 2023: Ariana Speaks Out For The First Time

Ariana Madix, Andy Cohen

Ariana Madix, Andy Cohen. Photo by: Nicole Weingart/Bravo

Two weeks after news of #Scandoval shocked the Bravo world, Ariana Madix broke her silence in a statement posted to Instagram. In the statement addressed to fans, she said that to say she was “devastated and broke would be an understatement”. However, Madix also expressed that the outpouring of support had been overwhelming and helped her get through the betrayal. “I am so f—king lucky to have the best support system in the world and i hope i can repay every single person for the love you have shown me. [sic]”

March 7–8, 2023: Sandoval And Raquel Issue Official Apologies 

Instagram PhotoSource: Instagram

On March 7, Tom Sandoval issued a second statement regarding his affair with Leviss, in which he finally apologized to Madix after omitting any mention of her from his first statement. “I want to first and foremost apologize to everyone I’ve hurt through this process,” begins the Instagram apology post issued by Sandoval. “Most of all, I want to apologize to Ariana. I made mistakes, I was selfish and made reckless decisions that hurt somebody I love. No one deserves to feel that pain so traumatically and publicly.”

On March 8, 2023, after Sandoval released his revised apology, Leviss put out a statement of her own addressing the controversy. “I want to apologize for my actions and my choices foremost to Ariana, and to my friends and the fans so invested in our relationships,” Leviss said in a statement issued to Entertainment Tonight. “There is no excuse, I am not a victim and I must own my actions and I deeply regret hurting Ariana.”

March 6, 2023: Bravo Films The Confrontation Between Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval

A few days later on March 6, 2023–Page Six reports that Madix and Sandoval sat down to film their conversation about the affair and that Madix felt “gaslit” by Sandoval and his excuses during taping. Reports say that Sandoval gave a number of excuses for why he didn’t come clean about the affair with Leviss sooner. But in the end, everyone walked away feeling more confused and upset by the whole situation. “[Madix] has recapped what happened with her friends and castmates, the majority of whom are disappointed Tom seems unable to take accountability for his actions or express substantial remorse,” the source said.

March 4, 2023: Tom Sandoval Addresses The Affair On Instagram

Instagram PhotoSource: Instagram

Tom Sandoval broke his silence on the affair with an Instagram statement made on March 4, 2023. In the apology, Sandoval did not address how his actions impacted his girlfriend, Ariana Madix, or mention her by name. Instead, he chose to defend his best friend and business partner, Tom Schwartz, who fans were now accusing of having known about the affair.

“I fully understand and deserve ur anger and disappointment towards me, but please leave Schwartz my friends and family out of this situation,” Sandoval writes. He goes on to apologize for how his business partners might suffer for his actions, ending with: “I need some time to address everything else. Sorry for everything.”

March 3, 2023: #Scandoval Breaks The Internet

On March 3, 2023–TMZ breaks the story that Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix’s nine-year relationship is officially over after the discovery of his affair with Leviss. The article detailed that Madix broke up with Sandoval earlier in the week after discovering explicit videos and intimate text messages on his phone. Tom Sandoval was seen packing his belongings into his car later that same evening after being kicked out of the home he shared with Madix. (The very same home where his affair with Leviss first began).

Fans were also told that producers of the show were made aware of the affair and that filming for season 10 would return to capture everything in real-time. “The majority of the cast is expected to gather and film tomorrow to share their reactions to Raquel and Sandoval’s affair. Mostly everyone is shook and completely heartbroken for Ariana,” a source told Page Six. Later that evening, Tom Sandoval seemed to address news of his affair during his show in Anaheim, California. “Have you ever been one of the most hated people in America?” he’s seen asking the audience, via Us Weekly.

Over the course of the next several hours, fellow Pump Rules cast and alum publicly shared their love and support for Madix. “I stan Ariana. This is in real-time,” said Sandoval’s ex Kristen Doute in an Instagram video, in which Doute and Madix can be seen hugging. “I love you more than anything in the whole wide world, and I’ll kill people for you.”

March 1, 2023: Ariana Madix Learns Of The Affair

Instagram PhotoSource: Instagram

On March 1, 2023, in an interview with Page Six, Tom Sandoval is asked to explain his secret behind having the “most stable relationship in Vanderpump Rules history.” Sandoval responds that although he and Madix have had their ups and downs, the key is that they’re both “really good about respecting each other and having each other’s backs in a reasonable way.”

Later that night, Madix and Sandoval are seen at a Tom Sandoval & the MOST Extras show and the couple were reported to be in good spirits. Sources say that Madix was seen dancing around, filming the show, and cheering on Sandoval from the crowd. “She was supporting his new single,” an insider told People. “She had no idea any of this was happening behind her back.” It was just a few hours later that same evening that Madix discovered an intimate video recording of Leviss on her boyfriend’s phone, which prompted her to search through Leviss and Sandoval’s texting history. That’s where Madix discovered all the proof she needed of the six-month affair. Madix and Sandoval left the venue together shortly after his set ended.

That same evening, as news of the affair was coming to light, Raquel Leviss and VPR co-star Schaena Shay were in New York City for their taping of Watch What Happens Live. During the appearance, Leviss defended her decision to kiss Tom Schwartz, Katie Maloney’s ex-husband. Leviss explained that she didn’t feel she owed Maloney anything because they weren’t exactly friends. “I’m just trying to live my life and I’m sorry if that offends people but it’s not going to stop me from doing what I’m going to do,” Leviss told host Andy Cohen.

It’s then reported that after the taping, Leviss shared the truth about her affair with Tom Sandoval to fellow castmate Schena Shay. The pair then got into a verbal altercation following the admission. And Leviss claimed that Shay got physical with her, pushing her “against a brick wall” and “punching her in the face” to cause injury to her left eye. Leviss subsequently filed an order of protection against Shay regarding the alleged assault on March 9, 2023, which was dismissed in late March after Leviss failed to appear in court on March 29, 2023.

January 2023: Sandoval Tells Schwartz He’s In Love With Raquel

According to Page Six, Sandoval went to Schwartz in January 2023 and admitted that he and Leviss were having an affair and that he was in love with her. Schwartz claimed he was “flabbergasted but not surprised,” to hear the news because he thinks there are a lot of people out there who knew it was an “open secret.” He went on to say that Sandoval became more “flagrant” and “brazen” with the affair in the weeks following their conversation.

It’s also around this time that Ariana took to Twitter to address the speculation from fans that she and Tom were in an “open relationship” following the premiere of the season 10 trailer. Madix denied that she and Sandoval were seeing other people. “We don’t have an open relationship. I’m really not that cool. thought that was obvious,” Madix said in a now-deleted tweet

December 2022: Sandoval Secretly Brings Raquel Home For Christmas

Instagram PhotoSource: Instagram

Everything seemed to be settling down once the holidays rolled around. According to Instagram, Leviss spent Christmas with her family in Arizona. She posted an Instagram Reel of a family hike with her parents on dogs on Christmas Eve, captioned: “Second Annual Christmas hike in Tucson Arizona 🎅🏻🌵Merry Christmas!!” Meanwhile, Sandoval was assumed to be back in St. Louis, Missouri visiting his family for the holidays.

However, it was later reported by TMZ that the pair had been spotted taking photos together in front of the Saint Louis Art Museum. Sources also claimed that Leviss met several of Sandoval’s hometown friends during the trip, though his immediate family was apparently uninterested in meeting Leviss. Afterward, the two reportedly drove up to Chicago together where Sandoval had a show for his cover band, Tom Sandoval & The MOST Extras; though Leviss was not in attendance at the show.

October 2022: BravoCon, Sandoval’s Halloween Costume, and The Lightning Bolt Necklaces 

Raquel Leviss, Tom Sandoval

Raquel Leviss, Tom Sandoval at BravoCon 2022. Images: Getty

There was a lot of tension among the cast following their group trip to Mexico. And by October 2022, the secret affair between Sandoval and Leviss was in full swing—though it was still a well-kept secret between the couple. This is when things between the secret lovers really started to heat up.

The first sign of their newly found fondness for one another came during BravoCon on October 17, when Leviss wore a TomTom sweatshirt to one of the panels. Then, for Halloween, Tom Sandoval posted an Instagram Story of himself dressed as Leviss for a costume party. In the photo, Sandoval posed in an exact recreation of Leviss’s BravoCon look and a blonde wig, along with the caption, “Raquel has got to stop showing up to TomTom it’s embarrassing.”

After news of the affair breaks in March 2023, fans went looking for evidence of the affair on the cast’s social media pages. And it’s quickly discovered that both Sandoval and Leviss appear to have been wearing matching lightning-bolt necklaces since at least October 2022. According to TMZ, the pair purchased the necklaces to wear as a secret sign of their love for each other. 

August 26, 2022: Tom Schwartz and Raquel Leviss Makeout in Cancún

Instagram PhotoSource: Instagram

The same month the affair between Tom Schwartz and Raquel Leviss began, the entire cast of Vanderpump Rules traveled to Cancún, Mexico together to film for Scheana Shay and Brock Davies’ wedding. It’s during this trip that Schwartz and Leviss reportedly hooked up, with Bravo cameras catching the pair making out in front of the entire wedding party at one point.

This scandal in itself was juicy—because Schwartz and his ex-wife Katie Maloney had both agreed not to hook up with people from within the friend group. Meanwhile, Schwartz and Leviss were being encouraged to explore their attraction to one another by co-star Scheana Shay, which fans watched play out in the early episodes of season 10. But knowing what we know now about the timeline of events, some fans wonder if the flirtation between Schwartz and Leviss was actually being used to cover up Sandoval and Leviss’s affair.

August 2022: The Affair Between Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss Begins

The affair between Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss first began in August 2022, according to sources who spoke to Page Six and People Magazine in March 2023. The timeline was later confirmed by Tom Schwartz during Watch What Happens Live on April 5, 2023. Following Schwartz’s appearance on Watch What Happens Live, Tom Sandoval made an appearance on Howie Mandel’s podcast in April 2023. In the episode he confirmed the timeline laid out by Schwartz, admitting that he and Leviss shared a kiss at an after-party in August 2022.

Ariana Madix confirmed in the Vanderpump Rules season 10 finale that Sandoval and Leviss’ affair started after the death of her dog, Charlotte’ during a cast girls’ trip in August 2022. “I called Raquel and I started like, making her like, f—ing tell me what the f—? When did this start?” Ariana told cast mates Scheana Shay and Katie Maloney. “She said, ‘Right after the girls trip.’ I’m like, ‘You mean right after Charlotte died?’”

Ariana continued, “She said they kissed. Well, later that night when we were out here, I pressed Tom. And he said, well, they actually f—d in her car that night. And he didn’t have a key to get in so he had to ring the doorbell and I had to let him in.”

July 2022: Season 10 of Vanderpump Rules Starts Filming

When did season 10 of Vanderpump Rules begin filming? According to an Instagram Story from cast member Lala Kent, filming began sometime in mid-July 2022. There was also news that Bravo cameras were filming footage of the Schwartz and Sandy’s grand opening party on July 19; which was intended to be a major plot point of the season before #Scandoval took over.

April 2022: Rumors About Tom Schwartz and Raquel Leviss Making Out Start To Swirl

Instagram PhotoSource: Instagram

One month after Katie Maloney and Tom Schwartz announced their separation, it was rumored that Schwartz was seen making out with Raquel Leviss at Coachella. However, it didn’t take long for Tom Schwartz to dispel the rumors on Twitter. “Guys hate to break it to you but I wasn’t at Coachella,” he explained. Later, it was revealed that Leviss was in attendance at the music festival and that she’d posted a few IG selfies posing with Tom Sandoval and Ariana. “I’m on an island,” she captioned a solo selfie with Sandoval. At the time, fans didn’t think much of the pictures–but they’d soon learn that this was just the beginning of something bigger.

March 2022: Katie Maloney and Tom Schwartz Announce Divorce

Leading up to the filming of season 10, Bravo viewers were shocked to learn that after five years of marriage, Vanderpump Rules co-stars Katie Maloney and Tom Schwartz were getting a divorce. Fans of the show watched the couple date throughout the early seasons. And after seven years of dating the pair were married on the show in a ceremony officiated by SUR owner and Real Housewife of Beverly Hills alum, Lisa Vanderpump. Their split came just months ahead of the start of filming for season 10, and viewers were curious to see if the pair might reconcile in the coming months.

March 2022: James Kennedy and Ally Lewber Start Dating

Following his separation from co-star Raquel Leviss, James Kennedy announced his relationship with new girlfriend Ally Lewber in a March 2022 Instagram post. Lewber later joined the Vanderpump Rules cast and made her debut during the season 10 premiere. Initially, Leviss was silent about what led to the breakup from Kennedy. She later shared her side of the story during an episode of the Scheananigans with Scheana Shay podcast. Leviss said that the friction between Kennedy and her family was what ultimately led her to her decision to end things with him. “Foreseeing this future and what it was all coming down to and I was like…I don’t want that,” she explained in the episode.

December 2021: James Kennedy and Raquel Leviss End Their Engagement

Instagram PhotoSource: Instagram

Just months after sharing their engagement with the world, James Kennedy and Raquel Leviss called off their engagement and ended their relationship of five years. One week after filming the season nine reunion, Leviss and Kennedy took to social media to share the news of their separation. “After these 5 wonderful years we had together, we decided we have two different goals and made the decision to call off the engagement,” the pair explained in a joint statement. “We love each other very much, but we aren’t in love anymore. We want nothing but the best for each other so please keep any thoughts positive.” 

May 2021: James Kennedy Proposes to Raquel Leviss

After five years of dating, James Kennedy and Rachel got engaged during a trip to Palm Springs. Kennedy surprised Leviss with an elaborate and over-the-top Coachella-themed party in her honor and later proposed to her in private under a sky full of fireworks. “James proposed at the iconic Empire Polo Fields of ‘RACHELLA’ Friday night…,” Leviss gushed on Instagram. “And I said YES! I’m over the Coachella moon.” Kennedy shared the good news on his own social media channels as well, writing, “THE LOVE OF MY LIFE, said yes.” Bravo cameras captured the proposal, which aired during season 9 episode 3 – ‘Welcome to Rachella!’. 

However, it’s revealed in the very next episode (season 9 episode 4 – ‘Palm Springs and Tiffany Rings’), that Kennedy wasn’t the only mastermind behind his proposal to Leviss. Tom Sandoval reveals that he personally helped plan and fund the elaborate engagement between Kennedy and Leviss. “James and I split the $25k because nothing brings me more joy than to help a friend accomplish a dream that they have,” Sandoval explained.

November 2019: Raquel Leviss Joins Vanderpump Rules

Instagram PhotoSource: Instagram

The season five premiere of Vanderpump Rules is where things really start to heat up. Fans are introduced to Raquel Leviss for the first time as a new love interest for DJ James Kennedy. And over the course of the next few seasons, Leviss makes regular appearances on the show as a friend of the cast. The couple moved in together after two years of dating. And shortly after this, Leviss gets a job waitressing at SUR, eventually joining the main cast in season eight

At the start of their relationship, Kennedy was infamous for his hard-partying lifestyle, history of being unfaithful, and hurtful words for his fellow castmates. And yet despite numerous accusations of infidelity over the years—Leviss faithfully stuck by Kennedy’s side and encouraged him to seek out help with his sobriety journey. It seemed the two were in it for the long haul and committed to making their relationship work.

February 2015: The Miami Girl Saga Begins

Even casual fans of Vanderpump Rules are familiar with the now infamous “Miami Girl” storyline in season 3. It’s also during this time that we’re introduced to DJ James Kennedy for the first time as Kristen Doute’s new boyfriend; the couple dated from season 3 to season 4 of the show.

Scorned from the break-up and looking to prove that Tom Sandoval isn’t the good guy he seems; Kristen Doute reveals that she was contacted by a woman in Miami who claims she and Tom Sandoval hooked up while he was on a guys trip to Miami with Jax Taylor and Tom Schwartz. Doute goes as far as to invite the woman to SUR to catch Sandoval off guard and confront him in person. This resulted in both Sandoval and Madix walking out of the restaurant and refusing to speak to “Miami Girl” or Doute about the details of the alleged affair. 

At the time Sandoval denied he cheated on Madix, and she defended him against the allegations. Meanwhile, the rest of the Vanderpump Rules cast dismissed the claims made by Doute, accusing her of trying to cause trouble with the new couple out of misplaced jealousy. And though whispers and speculation about what really happened in Miami would continue to follow Tom Sandoval for years to come–he’s maintained his innocence to this day.

In all of the chaos and drama surrounding the #Scandoval, nobody could have predicted the bombshell that came next. And it looks like Doute may get her vindication after years of sticking to her story about the “Miami Girl” affair that played out during season 3 of VPR. During the March 23, 2023 episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Vanderpump Rules alum Jax Taylor made a shocking new claim about “Miami Girl” and Tom Sandoval’s repeated history of infidelity.

When asked if he thought Sandoval had cheated on Madix any other times during their nine-year relationship, Taylor replied: “Yes, 100 percent. I told you I was there. Not only in the Miami situation — and that was week one of their relationship by the way — but yeah, there’ve been other times.” He went on to add that he knew for a fact that the cheating had occurred “within the last couple of years” behind Madix’s back.

February 2014: Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval Start Dating

To truly understand the magnitude of the #Scandoval drama–you have to go back to where it all began. Ariana Madix was first introduced to the show as a friend of Pump Rules star Schena Shay during season 2 of Vanderpump Rules. And it’s quickly established that Madix is involved in some drama surrounding the break-up of Tom Sandoval and Kristen Doute

The pair’s relationship fell apart amid cheating rumors on both sides. Doute admitted that she slept with fellow Vanderpump Rules co-star Jax Taylor, while still dating Sandoval. And made her own accusation that Sandoval had cheated on her with Madix while they were still together.

Sandoval denied the allegations that he’d hooked up with Madix while he was still dating Doute; though he later admitted to fellow castmate Stassi Schroeder that the pair had made out in a pool at the Golden Nugget Hotel in Las Vegas, season 2 episode 12 – ‘Til Death Do Us Part’. And it wasn’t until the season 2 reunion that Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix confirmed that they were officially dating.

Related: Vanderpump Rules Cast Salary: The Highest-Paid Cast Member Is No Surprise

Vanderpump Rules

Image: Courtesy of Bravo.

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Source: Stylecaster.com

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