Tom Sandoval, Vanderpump Rules star, has finally spoken out about the cheating scandal involving him, Ariana Madix, and Raquel Leviss. While acknowledging that he could have handled the situation better, he also highlights the difficulty of hindsight.
Sandoval was questioned by a photographer outside Pop Music Studios in the San Fernando Valley when he admitted to having regrets about cheating on Ariana with Raquel, saying, "Hindsight's always 20/20, man."
He went on to explain the intense scrutiny he's facing, despite cheating scandals being nothing new on the show: "I just think it was really unexpected."
Despite his regrets, Sandoval remains in a relationship with Raquel Leviss. The couple was recently spotted together at Musso and Frank in Hollywood, appearing very much like a couple. This comes after the dramatic Vanderpump Rules reunion show, during which host Andy Cohen had to intervene to prevent a physical altercation between cast members.
The scandal has had a financial impact on Sandoval, with his restaurants suffering losses since the news broke. The 40-year-old reality star told TMZ that looking back, he can see all the things he "shoulda, woulda, coulda done to make it better." He admitted to having regrets about his handling of the cheating scandal, which ended his nine-year relationship with Madix.
According to a source, Sandoval and Leviss, 28, faced an "enraged firing squad" while filming the special. The pair attempted to apologize to Madix, but she was not in an emotional place to accept their apologies. The source noted that the day ended without any sense of resolution, leaving it unclear whether the group will ever truly forgive them.
As the rest of season 10 of Vanderpump Rules unfolds, Sandoval and Leviss are left with many questions about their future together. A second source revealed that the two have not put any label on their relationship and are giving each other space to figure things out before making any decisions about where they stand.
Leviss has also addressed "the indefensible circumstances surrounding" the secret relationship that ended Sandoval's nine-year relationship with Madix, 37. Although a source stated that Sandoval and Madix had "been having problems for a while," his infidelity with Leviss was the final straw.