‘Vanderpump Rules’ Producer Shares Why Rachel Leviss Should Have Returned for Season 11
The looming aspect of Rachel Leviss’s absence from the upcoming season 11 of Vanderpump Rules has not only left fans wanting more but has also stirred up discussions among the show’s producers. During the recent BravoCon, the Vanderpump Rules team dissected the decision by Leviss to step away from the reality series, pointing out the missed opportunity and potential unexplored storylines.
Producer Sheonna Mix shared her feelings regarding Leviss’ choice, indicating that while she respected Leviss’s decision to bid adieu, she firmly believed that returning for the next season could have been a more rewarding and self-affirming experience for the reality star. Mix remarked, “I don’t want to say it was a mistake because she made the decision that was good for her at that time. But I do believe that she had more story to tell as you guys all salivated over that last 5 minutes, Like, there’s more to that. And I think if she would have come back, it would have been more rewarding for her, and she would be able to look at herself better.”
Leviss, known for her fair share in the alleged cheating controversy with Tom Sandoval, hinted at a plethora of regrets and the desire to alter past choices during a conversation with Bethenny Frankel on her podcast. The fallout from Leviss’s affair with Sandoval was predominantly a major factor in her decision to opt out of Season 11. The situation between Leviss and Sandoval has remained unresolved.
As per Vulture, Jeremiah Smith, another producer, expressed a sense of disappointment over Leviss’ decision, exclaiming, “I feel very very good and comfortable about how I treated and interacted with Raquel throughout the seasons she was on the show…We were celebrating her, so for her to now be taking this stance is a little upsetting.”
Despite Sandoval extending birthday wishes to Leviss, the social media interaction ended with Leviss blocking him. Sandoval who faced her wrath asserted, that the move was “a little immature and petty.” He added, "To post that you're blocking seems a bit thirsty. I wanted to just send her some love, let her know that happy birthday, whatever, I just kind of feel bad for her in a way. I don't understand. I think she's really struggling with taking accountability for her actions and just wants to point fingers and be mad at everybody else. There were two of us in this situation. We both screwed up.”
A source told People, “Rachel and Tom have not spoken in nearly three months. She checked out of the Meadows Trauma Therapy Center in July and has had zero contact with him since sometime in June. Rachel made the decision that it was healthiest to cut Tom out of her life completely and despite his attempts of writing and calling, she ceased communications with him while in the trauma therapy center.”
They further asserted, "She spent months at the facility doing nothing but taking accountability for her actions and learning what drove her decisions in addition to giving multiple apologies. A large part of her mental health journey is leaving behind toxic people, especially those with questionable intentions towards her.” The source also noted that the TomTom bar owner seemingly "can’t keep [Rachel's] name out of his mouth."
