While they might not be as explosive as last year’s earth-shattering #Scandoval, the Vanderpump Rules universe continues to deliver headline-making bombshells.
The most recent scandal comes courtesy of Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright, who originally appeared on Vanderpump Rules before making their way to its currently airing spinoff, The Valley. Rumors around their relationship — which began in 2015 when Cartwright served Taylor as a waitress at Hooters — have swirled for years, not least because Taylor has an illustrious history of infidelity.
The speculation has again reared its head on the debut season of The Valley, while off-screen developments and headlines have begged even more questions about the state of their marriage.
Are Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright still together?
As of May 2024, Jax and Brittany are officially separated after more than four years of marriage. The first mention of separation came during an episode of Cartwright’s podcast “When Reality Hits” in February, when the reality star revealed she had been taking time away from Jax and had moved into a separate living space.
That same month, Taylor told Page Six that while Cartwright had moved out briefly from their shared house, she had since returned home as the pair tried to “figure out” the next steps of their separation. Taylor said there was no “evil or nastiness” around the end of their marriage, and that he and Cartwright were committed to separating on good terms for the sake of their three-year-old son, Cruz.
In March, Taylor and Cartwright attended the premiere of The Valley separately, and updated the press of their ongoing separation. Taylor told People that the split was “not a publicity stunt” for The Valley, while Cartwright said she had “reached her breaking point” after consistently asking Taylor to change his behavior. “My son deserves better,” she added, “I deserve better.”
After removing Taylor’s surname from his social media pages, Cartwright attended the White House Correspondents Dinner alongside Taylor in April 2024. The couple sat next to each other at the event, but walked the red carpet separately. The rumblings of the couple’s separation are taking place on the current season of The Valley, as Cartwright has expressed frustration around their inactive sex life and Taylor’s often demeaning attitude towards her.
Taylor and Cartwright’s relationship was a major source of storylines throughout their run on Vanderpump Rules. During the show’s sixth season, Taylor admitted to cheating on Cartwright with a fellow server at a VPR restaurant, but Cartwright ultimately forgave him. Taylor proposed to Cartwright in 2018, and their engagement and wedding took place over the course of season eight.