Tom Sandoval is hoping Vanderpump Rules will move on from Scandoval when the show returns for season 11 in January.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Sandoval, 41, exclusively told Us Weekly on Monday, November 27, while promoting the season finale of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test. “I hope that people can remember who I’ve been throughout over a decade of the show — who I’ve been most of the time.”
The Bravo star noted that he and his Pump Rules costars are “normally in tumultuous situations” during each season, and the upcoming batch of episodes is no different.
“We’re always having the one conversation we don’t want to have with the person we don’t want to have it with,” Sandoval said of the show. “It’s tough to keep your composure … but you do the best you can. I’m glad the season’s done filming, but there’s that not ever wanting it to air feeling too.”
Us confirmed in March that Sandoval split from longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix after he was caught cheating on her with fellow Pump Rules star Raquel Leviss. Viewers watched the aftermath of the affair unfold as Pump Rules season 10 aired throughout the spring.
Sandoval is now feeling “pretty good” in the wake of the cheating scandal — even after he was booed at BravoCon earlier this month.
“I’m feeling alright. I figured that would happen,” Sandoval told Us. “I know our Vanderpump Rules panel was over 5,000 people, and I know when you get that many people together, it’s going to be a bit like a sports game.”
What “bothered” him the most, however, was what fans have said to him because of the scandal.
“It’s kind of gross to see how this has brought out a really dark side of some people,” Sandoval said, referencing one BravoCon attendee who told him to “just go away.”
“There were times during this where I was on the edge and I got through that, but at times, barely. And I think people took it way too far,” he continued. “I think it’s important for people to maybe realize that and maybe take that into account before doing certain things or acting a certain way.”
After putting Pump Rules season 10 behind him, Sandoval traveled to New Zealand to compete with other celebrities on Special Forces, the Fox reality show where ex-military operatives lead various stars in training exercises based on the special forces selection process.
Sandoval admitted he still harbored some anger over his situation when he joined Special Forces, but it dissipated a little as the show progressed. He is, however, anticipating how he’ll feel when Pump Rules returns.
“I still have [the anger] a little bit there. I know once the season starts airing and I see things, it’s like it always is,” Sandoval explained. “We relive things when filming Vanderpump Rules, like, three times in the moment when we’re filming it, when we’re talking about it in our interview bites and then, when we watch it, we do press. So, I’m hoping that it doesn’t come back as bad.”
