Why Vanderpump Rules Won't Cut Ties With Tom Sandoval

The Big Picture

• Cast supported Sandoval despite his behavior.
• Baskin keeps Sandoval for intriguing stories.
• Season 12 confirmed, unclear which cast remains.

TheVanderpump Rules cast was at a stand-off in season 11 of the reality series. In one corner there was Ariana Madix who stuck to her boundaries of not filming with her ex-boyfriend Tom Sandoval, and not wanting to hear updates on him from other cast members. In the other corner, is the rest of the cast except for Katie Maloney arguing that this negatively affects the friends' group and the show.

Sandoval also embarrassed those who defended him many times. The season ends with him saying Ariana storming off was good for him. He made headlines for comparing the reaction to his cheating scandal to the unjust killing of George Floyd and O.J. Simpson before the reunion. The show has fired cast members for racism before, but why isn't that the case for him?

Vanderpump Rules

Best known as one of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Lisa Vanderpump opens the salacious kitchen doors of her exclusive Hollywood restaurant and lounge, SUR.

Why 'Vanderpump Rules' Showrunner Alex Baskin Keeps Tom Sandoval

The cast seemingly took Sandoval's side repeatedly this season. Lala Kent questioned why Ariana didn't leave their shared home despite her owning half of it. Sandoval later revealed he couldn't afford to buy out Ariana as he claimed. The reunion showed Brock Davies begging Sandoval not to do interviews for the sake of the show. Lisa Vanderpump asked Lala and Scheana Shay to give Sandoval another chance for the sake of his mental health. Showrunner Alex Baskin told The Hollywood Reporter why the show is working hard to keep him around despite the risk he is for the Bravo show.

"I think there is a lot of story left to tell," he said. "It’s tough. We’ll see where he goes from here. He’s in a new relationship. He’s touring with his band. I think he’s figuring out what his life looks like from here. I don’t know exactly what that means. Look, he’s someone who provokes as strong a reaction as anyone right now, but it seems there’s a continual interest in what he’s doing."

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Season 11 of 'Vanderpump Rules' didn't go as planned, but is it truly the end?

That means as long as a cast member gets strong reactions from the audience, then he or she is going to stick around on Vanderpump Rules. The showrunner confirmed the show will return for season 12, but there is no timeline. It's also unclear which cast members will remain on the show or decide to leave. Sandoval is currently dating Victoria Lee Robinson. If the show returns and they're still together, then there is a good chance she'll appear in his story.

Vanderpump Rules can be streamed on Peacock.

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