Billie Lee Quit ‘Vanderpump Rules’ After Producers Asked Her To Film Fake Storyline About Tom Sandoval Hookup
Billie Lee is reportedly exiting Vanderpump Rules for Season 8, but one of the reasons she’s stepping away from the Bravo reality show is a bit surprising. The Bravo reality star, who has been featured in a recurring capacity the last two years as the show’s lone trans cast member, has quit the SUR-set show after two seasons, in part, due to the “disrespect and negative thoughts” she experienced from certain members of the cast, as previously shared by The Inquisitr.
Now, an insider says Billie’s issues weren’t just limited to the cast of the Bravo hit.
Last season, Billie Lee clashed with several members of the Vanderpump Rules cast. After Katie Maloney-Schwartz excluded the trans hostess from a “Girls Night In” event with the rest of the female SURvers, Billie called her out, which caused drama with all of the other ladies on the show who insisted they weren’t being transphobic by excluding her. Billie also sparred with Lala Kent during a “Brunch with Billie” event at SUR and was ostracized by the majority of the cast for the rest of the season, most notably Stassi Schroeder, who flat-out said she thought Billie should leave the show.
While Billie reportedly only clicked with Vanderpump Rules veterans Tom Sandoval, James Kennedy, and Scheana Shay, the insider told Hollywood Life that she also had issues with the show’s production team when they allegedly asked her to film a fake storyline.
“Production asked Billie to partake in a storyline that she is adamant isn’t true — that she and Sandoval hooked up, which will be spoken about and [is] a big storyline on this season of Vanderpump Rules.”
The Bravo insider revealed that things got so bad between Billie and the Vanderpump Rules producers that she refused to wear a mic at Sandoval’s recent birthday 36th celebration, which was filmed on July 9 for the upcoming eighth season of the show.
#PumpRules stars Billie Lee and Max Todd are kissing and telling! https://t.co/webEQ8vSDC
— OK! Magazine USA (@OKMagazine) May 15, 2019
While she is reportedly adamant nothing happened with Sandoval, Billie Lee has hooked up with members of the Vanderpump Rules family in the past. During Season 6 of the show, she dated Jeremy Madix, the younger brother of Ariana Madix, according to The Daily Dish podcast. Ariana is Tom Sandoval’s longtime girlfriend. In addition, Billie had a one-night makeout session with Lisa Vanderpump’s son, Max Vanderpump-Todd, after a night of drinking.
“I didn’t know I had to tell my boss I’m sleeping with her son,” Billie later said to Lisa, per Bravo.
While Billie Lee won’t be an official part of the Vanderpump Rules cast next season, the Hollywood Life source said that because she is still friends with a few members of the cast, she may pop up “here and there.” With no Bravo contract, Billie is reportedly focusing on other projects, including a book and her LGBTQ activism.
