Ariana Madix, Scheana Shay. Gizelle Hernandez/Bravo (2)
After the intense Vanderpump Rules season 11 reunion, Ariana Madix and Scheana Shay’s friendship is officially in recovery mode.
Madix, 39, was quizzed about Shay, 39, during the Tuesday, August 13 episode of Watch What Happens Live, with host Andy Cohen asking Madix if she had “been in touch with Scheana” of late.
“Here and there,” Madix responded.
Cohen, 56, naturally dug deeper, following his first question with, “Would you say that your friendship took a big hit after the reunion?”
“Yes. But there’s a lot of love there and I think that will always be there,” Madix, the host of Love Island USA, said. “And I’m really happy … she just won an award for talking about her postpartum OCD and I thought that was like really, really lovely.”
During season 11 of Vanderpump Rules, Shay aligned herself with fellow cast members who were struggling with Ariana for not forgiving Tom Sandoval after he cheated on Madix with Rachel “Raquel” Leviss.
The reunion, a three-part special that premiered on Bravo on May 14, included footage of Brock Davies’ comments where he called Sandoval, 41, a better friend to Shay than Madix had been.
“Obviously this year was a little bit more difficult for us,” Madix said during the reunion’s third part. “When I am going through things, I isolate as well and that is my fault.”
Shay defended Madix during the reunion, but also acknowledged the growing wedge between the pair. “She’s busier than she’s ever been. Even before we started filming, I did feel distance,” Shay said. “I know you have done that to other people in your life who are close to you as well so I know it is not just me.”
Amid the emotional conversation, Shay referenced Madix’s decision not to watch episodes of Vanderpump Rules. “You never watched the show. You are watching clips on TikTok. So you aren’t getting the full perspective and there were so many longer conversations I wish you had the chance to see,” Shay noted.
Following the show’s taping, Ally Lewber told Us Weekly that there “was some tension” between Madix and Shay when Lewber, 28, saw the pair at Coachella in April.
While some things never change, the cast of Vanderpump Rules is used to a shake-up … and a touch-up. Vanderpump Rules was introduced to Bravo viewers during a special episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in January 2013. Season 1 starred Lisa Vanderpump, who was a Beverly Hills Housewife at the time, Stassi […]
But Madix’s new comments suggest the duo are on the road to recovery, aligning to what was heard on the April 5 episode of the podcast, “Scheananigans,” hosted by Shay. During the episode, Summer Moon Honey Davies’ mom said Shay and Madix were in a good place.
“I don’t think there’s anything to mend,” she said on the podcast. “Everything is fine.”