‘Vanderpump Rules’: Andy Cohen Finally Breaks Silence on Jax Taylor Exit, Confirms Returning Cast Members
Major changes are in store for Vanderpump Rules Season 9. After Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright announced their exits, many fans questioned if the show was returning for another season. The Bravo series is undergoing a major rejuvenation after the firings of Kristen Doute and Stassi Schroeder for racist actions. Andy Cohen is now spilling the tea on the cast returning and sharing his thoughts on Taylor’s announcement.
Why are Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright leaving?
Taylor had gone unscathed earlier this year when Schroeder and Doute were fired from Bravo. The two reality TV personalities called the cops on Faith Stowers as a “joke” thinking she was a suspected criminal. Stowers recalled the moment in an interview in the middle of the Black Lives Matter movement and backlash ensued. Although Taylor also perpetuated the rumor like Schroeder and Doute, the cable network didn’t officially cut ties with him.
As Vanderpump Rules is looking at its season ahead, it won’t be with Taylor and Cartwright who confirmed they would not be returning to the show.
“The last 8 years on Vanderpump Rules have been some of the most challenging, rewarding, and fulfilling years of my life,” Taylor posted on Instagram announcing his exit. “Although this is difficult to share, Brittany and I will not be returning for another season of Vanderpump Rules. We are excited to take this time to focus on our growing family and share with you our new endeavors.”
Taylor made it seem that he had decided to walk away from the show. However, a month before he was talking about starting to film the new season soon. The reality star said he and his wife have exciting things coming up but did not specify what kind of projects they were.
Andy Cohen reacts to the exits
Although Cohen is not a producer on Vanderpump Rules, as the face of the Bravo, many fans look to him to talk about the network’s shows. The Watch What Happens Live host didn’t let the opportunity pass to react to Taylor’s exit.
“Have you seen a run on a — specifically Jax — like, Jax created so much story, drama, conversation in his eight years on that show. That’s quite a run that he had,” Cohen said on Radio Andy according to Us Weekly. “He will go down as one of the biggest, you know, reality stars in their moment, don’t you think? That was an incredible run that they had.”
Cohen commended Taylor for taking it “like a man” when he appeared on WWHL due to him always being “in the middle of some sh**.”
“He would come on Watch What Happens Live and he would be, like, ‘How mean are you going to be to me today?’ And I would be like, ‘It’s bad.’ There was always stuff that we were confronting him about and he took it,” Cohen added.
As far as the new season of Vanderpump Rules without Taylor and Cartwright, Cohen is hopeful saying the show still has a “solid cast.”
“Listen, they’ve got Lala [Kent], James [Kennedy], Scheana [Shay], Tom [Sandoval], Tom [Schwartz], Katie [Maloney], Arianna [Madix], the new people. I mean, that’s a solid cast,” the host confirmed.
Cohen, however, doesn’t have the tea on when Lisa Vanderpump’s show will start filming season 9
“When that show’s going to start shooting again, I have no idea, but I’m excited. I’m excited for there to be a shift also,” Cohen said.
Vanderpump Rules usually films during the summer but with the pandemic out of control, and restaurants shut down, the show set at a bar was pushed back.
