Lisa Vanderpump has finally made her feelings known about business partner and mentee Tom Sandoval's breakup from Ariana Madix after an affair with Vanderpump Rules castmate Raquel Leviss.
The Los Angeles restaurateur, 62, told Watch What Happens Live host Andy Cohen on Wednesday's episode that she was "gobsmacked," "flabbergasted" and had "literally no words" after learning of the secret relationship between Sandoval, 40, and Leviss, 28, that led to the end of his nine-year relationship with Madix, 37.
"I didn't see it coming, nobody saw it coming," she said, confirming that she had seen Madix since the news broke and that she was "devastated." Vanderpump added, "[There were] a lot of tears."
"Ariana was always that ride-or-die girlfriend," she continued, before joking, "It seems like Raquel was the 'ride' girlfriend, she was the 'die' girlfriend."
Speaking further about Leviss, Vanderpump said she "didn't clearly know who she was," noting, "She stuck her toe in the Peter [Madrigal] pond, she snogged Oliver [Saunders], she schmoozed with [Tom] Schwartz and then she shagged Sandoval."
#PumpRules star @LisaVanderpump opens up about the fan reaction to the Scandoval drama. #WWHL pic.twitter.com/hstWshzuGz
— WWHL (@BravoWWHL) March 9, 2023
Cohen, 54, also asked Vanderpump about her thoughts on Sandoval's two apologies, the first of which came on Saturday, and the second late Tuesday night. Vanderpump said it was clearly "because he had some kind of reaction to the first apology that he felt it necessary to apologize to Ariana [in a second one]."
"I want to see true contrition," she later said, urging the VPR cast to take advantage of the "difficult" upcoming reunion when they "all sit down and have a better understanding of why this happened, how this happened and when."
"It's been going a long time," she continued of the affair. "That's what's so shocking to me. It wasn't just a shag ... I think [the fault is] equal. It takes two to tango!"
She added: "I think they had a game plan, I think it was to get through the reunion, then to let the bomb drop and if there was another season, then have a few weeks, a few months to get used to it. But just by the longevity, I mean ... I thought he was in love with Ariana."
"This is breaking up a couple that's been together for [nine] years. I mean, the deceit — she is a wolf in sheep's clothing," she said.
Vanderpump also noted that she believes Schwartz knew about the affair long before it became public and that she "never really trusted" Sandoval. "I think they are so close ... I do think he knew something," she said.
In a final note, Vanderpump urged fans to be more mindful of their reactions to the news. "This kind of vigilante justice, I don't agree with it all. These are people living their lives in a public forum, which is very difficult ... it's a show but they're all hurting. I'm not saying we should let them off the hook. Condemn their actions, but don't condemn the people."
Sandoval worked as a bartender at Vanderpump's restaurant SUR before becoming a partial owner of Tom Tom with The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum, her husband Ken Todd and VPR's Tom Schwartz. Sandoval and Schwartz, 40, also own Schwartz & Sandy's cocktail lounge and restaurant in Los Angeles.
Last week, Madix discovered that Sandoval had been cheating on her with Leviss after she found an intimate video and "inappropriate" messages between the two on his phone while he was performing with his band, Tom Sandoval & the Most Extras.
After the news broke on Friday, Cohen tweeted, "How many parts is too many parts for the #pumprules reunion???" Vanderpump then replied, "Ummm one…I'm not sure my heart is up to it."
By Friday afternoon, sources confirmed to PEOPLE that the two were done. They had been in a monogamous relationship for nine years.
The video in question was "a FaceTime call between Tom and Raquel. It had been screen-recorded by Tom. When Ariana found it on Tom's phone, she recorded it and sent [it] to herself," a source told PEOPLE.
Leviss' attorneys later sent a legal notice to Sandoval, Madix and her VPR costars to stop the spread of the "illegal" video, which was recorded "without the permission" of Leviss.
She was also granted a temporary restraining order against her Vanderpump Rules costar Scheana Shay after the two got into an alleged altercation on Thursday that left Leviss with a black eye and cut on her eyebrow.
After Madix discovered the recording, a source told PEOPLE that she was "completely blindsided." The secret romance between Sandoval and Leviss had been going on "for upwards of six months," an insider said — "all the while, Tom was sleeping next to Ariana in bed."
"Ariana had been there for Raquel when she went through her split with James [Kennedy]. She thought they were friends," a second source said. "This isn't something you do to a friend."
"This is someone she thought she knew; someone she planned to spend the rest of her life with. You can't even put into words that betrayal," the insider shared.
In the time since, Sandoval and Leviss have both issued statements on social media, taking responsibility for their actions and apologizing to Madix.
Madix has also received the support of her other costars during this difficult time.
"All the Vanderpump Rules costars have rallied around Ariana during this time," a second source said. "They can't believe Raquel would do something like that."
Vanderpump Rules airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET, and Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen airs Sunday through Thursday nights (check listings), both on Bravo.
