Ariana Madix Opens Up About ‘Incredibly Hurtful’ Scandal Speculation

Heavy/Getty/NBCUniversal Vanderpump Rules news

There was a lot said about “Vanderpump Rules” in August 2023 as Raquel Leviss appeared on Bethenny Frankel’s podcast in her first interview since the 10th season of VPR wrapped filming in March 2023 and aired a couple of months later.

On August 25, Ariana Madix joined Scheana Shay on the latter’s podcast “Scheananigans With Scheana Shay” to refute some of Leviss’ claims.

Shay asked Madix about Leviss’ comments about whether the Scandoval was a “fabrication to save the show” amid speculation that “Vanderpump Rules” was about to be canceled heading into season 10. Madix replied, “That is so incredibly hurtful because them saying that there’s a fabrication to save the show, first of all, our show was not getting canceled.”

“I don’t know where this came from but that was not a thing, we weren’t on the chopping block from last season to this. So that right there, out the window,” she continued. “I love the show, don’t get me wrong, I love the show, I love our crew, I love our production company, all of that. But that is certainly not my motivation in life, like let me save the show by my whole life falling apart, blowing up, having to start over.”

Follow the Heavy on Bravo TV Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content!

Ariana Madix Said ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Wasn’t About to Be Canceled After Season 10

Later in the podcast episode, Madix and Shay both discussed the speculation that “Vanderpump Rules” was about to be canceled. They both denied that that was the case and pointed out that season 10 was a great season even without the scandal, which came out after filming had initially wrapped.

They said the speculation likely came from an interview with executive producer Alex Baskin, who told Deadline that the timing of the scandal “happened to have been perfect.” Baskin did not say the show was getting canceled, but pointed out that they had a “tough” season 9 during the pandemic, and were grateful to get a 10th season. However, Baskin said “We had a resurgence anyway” that season.

Madix told Shay that it would have been “nice” if the whole thing was a fabrication because it would have meant that she wasn’t actually hurt and her life wouldn’t have all blown up like that, but it wasn’t the case.

Raquel Leviss Told Bethenny Frankel She Thought the Scandal Might Have Been Fabricated

Leviss brought up Baskin’s comments during her three-part interview with Frankel when she claimed that Tom Sandoval was offered a producer credit for season 11 of VPR, which is currently filming now. The Skinnygirl founder asked Leviss if Sandoval was a producer on VPR and Leviss replied that the OG star of the show wasn’t “technically” a producer.

“I don’t know if I’m even able to disclose this information but he did tell me that for negotiations for season 11, he was offered a producer credit for season 11,” she then claimed, and said she thought he was being “rewarded” for his role in the scandal. “To me, that’s just kinda gross because it seems, it makes me skeptical,” she added. “Was this really just something that was fabricated for this end result?”

Leviss then went on to tell Frankel that Baskin said “on record” that the show would have been canceled after the 10th season and the affair scandal was the only reason it was renewed for an 11th season.

READ NEXT: Andy Cohen Calls ‘Nightmare’ Real Housewife a ‘Disaster’