When Kourtney Kardashian Revealed How Filming KUWTK Was Unfulfilling and Had a 'Toxic Environment'

The popular reality show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, offered a sneak peek into the lives of the Kardashian-Jenner family, revealing details about their personal and professional worlds. Behind the glitz and the glamor, there existed struggles hidden from the public eye. Kourtney Kardashian, once shared that filming the show was not as easy as it appeared. In a 2020 cover story for Vogue Arabia, she opened up about the challenges she faced and her decision to ultimately leave the show.

"I have been filming the show non-stop for 14 years. I was feeling unfulfilled and it became a toxic environment for me to continue to have it occupy as much of my life as it was," she shared. "Privacy` is something I have come to value and finding that balance of private moments with being on a reality show is hard. People have this misconception that I don't want to work, which isn't true. I am following my happiness and putting my energy into that which makes me happy," she explained, as reported by People magazine. She claimed that work and life balance was her priority.

"I always try my absolute best when I'm with my kids not to be on my phone, to be present in what we're doing, and have those moments where you're looking in each other's eyes and connecting. It's so important. I usually take one day on the weekend when we have no plans, we hang out at the house in pajamas or sweats. We sleep in. I like to not be on a schedule on that day." In a March 2020 interview, Kourtney revealed that she had reduced her time working on KUWTK. She said, "I've been taking less time with filming and, in general, with work. My sisters don't like when I say 'setting boundaries,' but it's more about a schedule."

She added, "I try to make myself available to my kids to really be a mom. And I want to be in charge of my time and schedule...to do the things that are bringing me happiness," as reported by Business Insider. In light of the same, in season 18, Kim Kardashian criticized Kourtney’s work ethic, which led to a physical fight between them. Reflecting on the same, Kim said, "I feel like it's been a lot of built-up resentment from Kourtney, or just feeling like she doesn't want to film anymore. And so she's not the type of person to make a decision and say, 'Okay guys, I'm not going to film.'"

"But she would come to work with an attitude everyday and kind of take it out on everyone, from the crew to us, and wouldn't really make that decision," she explained. Meanwhile, Kourtney opined, “I don’t understand why there’s all this judgment about the way we each want to live our lives. We should be accepted for what we each want to do. It’s not a positive environment for me to want to be in every day when I feel...like they’re so critical of me."