Vanderpump Rules star Rachel Leviss FINALLY breaks silence on ‘chaotic’ Scandoval in a candid tell-all interview with fellow Bravo star Bethenny Frankel

Vanderpump Rules star Rachel Leviss has sat down for her first interview since the height of the ‘Scandoval’ cheating drama, opening up to Real Housewives of New York alum Bethenny Frankel.

The 28-year-old has remained out of the limelight since the show’s reunion episodes aired in June saw her come under intense backlash over her months-long affair with her BFF Ariana Madix’s, 38, boyfriend Tom Sandoval, 40.

Opening up about why she chose to take a step back from the public eye, the Bravo star told Bethenny: ‘It’s been a whirlwind, it’s been chaos. But I’ve taken some time to myself to reflect and try to understand my actions. And I finally have come to the place where it makes sense to me.

‘Part of the reason why I wanted to take some time away is just because it was so chaotic and loud, and there was such vitriol online.’

The reality star then explained that she chose to spend time in a treatment facility in an attempt to ‘understand my behaviors’. 

She stated: ‘But then the other part of the reason why I wanted to go to a treatment facility was to understand my behaviors and my goal was to really get down to the bottom of, “OK why am I choosing men that are unavailable, why do I keep finding myself in unhealthy relationships, what are the things that I need to change about my behavior.”

‘And in knowing that I needed to make a change, I first had to know what leads to those behaviors.’

Wednesday morning saw Bethenny tease the chat on Instagram as she shared a snap of the pair, stating: ‘A woman’s voice is very powerful. Now Rachel is using hers to tell her own story…for the first time…’ 

Smiling Rachel looks healthy and in good spirits after recently checking herself into a mental health facility after facing the wrath of her co-stars during the show’s three-part reunion that taped in March.

She since checked out of the facility in mid-July and has reportedly to be staying with family in Arizona.

Bethenny explained that she had felt sympathy for Rachel while witnessing the Scandoval backlash and stated that she felt the star’s life was being ‘exploited’ without compensation.

Thankful Rachel responded: ‘It’s so nice to have you validate that experience because for a moment I thought I was going crazy. And it’s true, reality TV is edited, it is contrived to create a certain storyline. So it’s not all factual. 

‘Scandoval’: Earlier this year, Rachel was the target of intense backlash after it was exposed that she’d been in a months-long affair with her BFF Ariana Madix’s, 38, boyfriend Sandoval, 40; the trio seen in November 2022

‘As a viewer tuning in, it’s easy to get wrapped up in that. Then the concept of an affair hits really hard to a lot of people. So I think there was a lot of projection happening, a lot of emotions that came up for people, and unfortunately I was the punching bag for a lot of that.’

The TV star made it clear that she understood why there was so much rage from both her co-stars and viewers as she continued: ‘I do want to take a moment though to just acknowledge the hurt that I brought to a lot of people. I was not careful in my actions and I was not thinking long-term. I was completely wrapped up in heartbreak and wanting to get certain needs met. 

‘Looking back now, I can see that I was still healing from a relationship from someone I thought I was going to marry. And in ending that, I still haven’t healed yet.’

Rachel then confirmed that she had been turning to alcohol to try and get through the tough time, something she stated was not the best solution to her problem. 

‘When I was filming, I was drinking a lot to ease that anxiety and in a reality TV environment, I wasn’t getting that safe space for me to express my emotions in a healthy way.’