Weathering the storm. Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss are navigating friendship fallout amid their affair, a source exclusively reveals in the latest issue of Us Weekly.
“Tom and Raquel are losing a lot of friends,” the insider says. “Both people on the show and away from the cameras.”
Their Vanderpump Rules pals are continually shocked by the drama surrounding their romance. “With every new piece of information that comes out, it is like another betrayal,” the source adds.
Us confirmed on Friday, March 3, that Sandoval, 39, and Ariana Madix split after nine years together amid his relationship with Leviss, 28. Shortly after news broke that the Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras singer cheated on Madix, 37, Pump Rules cast both past and present started weighing in on the scandal.
Sandoval’s ex-girlfriend Kristen Doute, who was fired from the Bravo series in 2020, revealed on Friday that she is “Team Ariana.” In an Instagram video shared that same day, Doute, 40, warned Leviss of her actions, writing, “Karma is indeed coming. So Raquel should just move home.” (The He’s Making Me Crazy author and Sandoval split in 2013 after six years.)
Leviss’ ex-fiancé, James Kennedy, whom she broke up with in December 2021, was also quick to share his thoughts on the drama — and come for his longtime friend Sandoval. The DJ, 31, told his followers that Sandoval would be performing in Southern California and suggested the audience taunt him.
“If you’re in Orange County today and you’re planning on seeing Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras tonight don’t forget to bring the tomatoes and the cabbage, OK?” Kennedy said via his Instagram Story on Friday. “You want to get a good aim and you want to squeeze the tomato a little bit so it’s just a little juicy before you throw it.”
Madix, meanwhile, has yet to release a statement about her and Sandoval’s breakup, but a source told Us on Tuesday, March 7, that the Florida native “found out after looking at Tom’s phone while he was on stage performing his new song.”
The drama surrounding the reality stars will also be featured on season 10 of the Bravo series, which is currently airing. “The cameras haven’t stopped rolling since Wednesday night,” the insider said on Tuesday. “It’s not an understatement to say this will be the most explosive season of Vanderpump Rules ever.”
Sandoval, for his part, released a public apology on Saturday, March 4, taking responsibility for the hurt he has caused his inner circle.
“Hey, I fully understand and deserve ur anger & disappointment towards me, but please leave [Tom] Schwartz, my friends and family out of this situation … Schwartz specifically only found out about this very recently, and most definitely did not condone my actions,” the TomTom cofounder wrote. (Schwartz, who is Sandoval’s business partner, previously raised eyebrows when he kissed Leviss in summer 2022 amid his divorce from Katie Maloney.)
Sandoval asked on Saturday that fans not penalize his business ventures, including Schwartz & Sandy’s, after his questionable actions. “Please direct ur anger towards me and not [my partners],” he added. “They did nothing wrong.”
The musician issued a second apology — this time to Madix — on Tuesday. “I made mistakes, I was selfish and made reckless decisions that hurt somebody I love,” he wrote via Instagram. “No one deserves to feel that pain so traumatically and publicly.”
Sandoval continued: “I can only imagine how devastating this has been for Ariana and everyone around us. I feel really horrible about that. My biggest regret is that I dishonored Ariana. I never meant to disappoint so many people, including our loving families and friends.”
Leviss, for her part, echoed Sandoval’s sentiments in her own public apology on Wednesday, March 8. “I want to apologize for my actions and my choices foremost to Ariana, and to my friends and the fans so invested in our relationships,” she wrote in an Instagram statement. “There is no excuse, I am not a victim and I must own my actions and I deeply regret hurting Ariana. … I am taking steps to understand my behavior and make healthier choices.”
Despite receiving backlash for their affair, the Missouri native and Leviss are focused on seeing where their romance goes. “Tom and Raquel are the real deal. This isn’t just a regrettable fling or one night stand,” the insider told Us on Tuesday. “They have confided to pals that it’s love and they have fallen hard for each other.”
While the duo know “it’s no excuse for what they did,” Sandoval and the former Miss Sonoma County “see a long-term future together,” the source explained. “Only time will tell if their bond can survive the backlash.”
Watch the exclusive video above for more on the restauranteur’s romance with Leviss — and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now.
