Vanderpump Rules alums Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright shocked fans after announcing their split last month — just weeks before the launch of their new Bravo show The Valley.
While some have speculated that the breakup could be a publicity stunt to promote their comeback to reality TV, Ny Breaking.com can confirm that their split is the real deal both in front of and behind the cameras.
The former couple noticeably avoided each other all night at The Valley’s premiere party, held Thursday at Jax’s bar in Studio City.
The pair only came together when it was time to take official press photos, then went back to keeping their distance once the cameras went down.
Unlike the other couples on the show, Jax and Brittany were only together when they had to pose for group photos.
EXCLUSIVE: Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright’s split isn’t a ploy to promote their comeback to reality TV on Bravo’s The Valley. (Pictured together in 2023)
The former couple noticeably avoided each other all night at The Valley’s premiere party, held Thursday at Jax’s bar in Studio City.
The pair came together for an awkward group photo with their castmates to cut a Valley-themed cake
Their co-stars Jesse and Michelle Lally – who have also just split – also kept their distance, while lovebirds Janet and Jason Caperna were inseparable all night.
Jesse and Michelle announced their divorce after six years of marriage to Us Weekly just hours after The Valley premiere party.
Jax arrived at the venue hours before his estranged wife and seemed in good spirits as he mingled with guests and co-stars.
The 44-year-old seemed overjoyed to be back on television and sat down in front of a TV as the first episode of The Valley started playing.
Brittany, 35, arrived much later and was less jubilant than her House of Villains star husband.
After posing for photos and doing some press work, Brittany spent the rest of the night close to her friends, including co-stars Kristen Doute and Michelle Lally, her publicist Lori Krebs and comedian Heather McDonald.
Meanwhile, Jax spent a lot of time with executive producer Alex Baskin, Bachelor In Paradise’s Wells Adams and some of his former Vanderpump Rules castmates, including Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval.
Jax arrived at the venue hours before his estranged wife and seemed in good spirits as he mingled with guests and co-stars. (Pictured with Wells Adams)
Jax poses with Michelle Lally, who also just split from husband and Valley castmate Jesse
The 44-year-old seemed overjoyed to be back on television and sat down in front of a TV as the first episode of The Valley started playing.
Jax was all smiles as he caused a storm with Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz
After the premiere of The Valley wrapped in Studio City, Jax, along with Kristen, Schwartz, Sandoval and some other Valley cast members, continued the party at The Bourbon Room in Hollywood.
Brittany was noticeably absent from the group, but a source tells Ny Breaking.com that Jax was “enjoying the party” and seemed “happy and excited.”
Although there is speculation that Jax and Brittany’s breakup may have been due to infidelity, Jax told several guests that this was not the case.
The former bartender insisted that there was no cheating this time, stating that many of their problems are due to “communication issues.”
Jax’s castmates on The Valley also defended the reformed Lothario against accusations of cheating on The Vanderpump Rules after last week’s show.
“I can tell you he’s 100 percent not cheating,” Zack Wickham emphasized.
Kristen added, “I’m literally with Jax and Brittany almost every day and I’ve never heard anything. I never thought that. If I thought that, I’d be the very first person to call him.’
Brittany spent most of the night leaning on her friends for support, including comedian Heather McDonald
The 35-year-old spent some time with her publicist Lori Krebs at the event
Brittany surrounded herself with her female co-stars from The Valley
Instead of working the room like Jax did, Brittany spent much of the night with her castmates
Despite some awkwardness between them, Jax and Brittany seem to be working through things in the days following The Valley party.
The former couple, who have been living apart since their separation last month, reunited at their Los Angeles home this weekend to take their son Cruz to the zoo.
They documented the outing on social media and reunited for St. Patrick’s Day on Sunday at Jax’s bar in Studio City.
Brittany and her estranged husband first met in 2015, and their relationship became Instagram official in May of that year.
Although Jax admitted to being unfaithful in December 2017, the couple ultimately stayed together and got engaged the following year.
The only time Jax and Brittany got together was when they had to take group photos to promote the series
The pair kept their distance as The Valley executive producer Alex Baskin stood between them for a photo
Jesse and Michelle Lally stood awkwardly together at the event just hours before confirming their split to the world
While their castmates’ relationships imploded, Jason and Janet Caperna were inseparable all night long
The couple held a wedding ceremony in Kentucky in June 2019 and welcomed their son Cruz in 2021.
They remained together until last month, when Brittany revealed she had split from her husband during an episode of their podcast, When Reality Hits.
The Valley is the former couple’s long-awaited return to the Bravo universe.
Jax rose to fame in 2012 as an OG cast member of Vanderpump Rules with Tom Sandoval, Tom Schwartz, Katie Maloney, Kristen Doute, Stassi Schroeder, Scheana Shay and restaurateur Lisa Vanderpump
Brittany joined the show in season four as Taylor’s new girlfriend from Kentucky and they later got married in season eight.
But the couple left the show in 2020 after being “fired” by Bravo in a sweep that also saw Doute and Schroeder leave.
The Valley is the former couple’s long-awaited return to the Bravo universe and will document their crumbling marriage
The highly anticipated series premieres on Bravo on March 19
The Valley premieres Tuesday, March 19, offering fans a play-by-play of Brittany and Jax’s crumbling marriage.
And this cheating speculation has spilled over into the current season of Vanderpump Rules, as briefly hinted at by Jax and Brittany’s former co-stars Katie, Scheana and Lala Kent.
In response to Katie accusing him of “running around town” and being unfaithful, Jax vehemently denied the claim during a conversation with Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz.
‘Katie likes to just start. That’s what she does,” he told his former friends.
He continued, “She’ll be playing at home and see something on her phone on Reddit, and she’ll start the rumor mill. That’s what she does. She spreads all kinds of nonsense.’