She was married to Donn Gunvalson for twenty years, from 1994 until they divorced in 2014.
And during her appearance on the Behind The Velvet Rope with David Yontef podcast, Vicki Gunvalson blames her divorce on reality television.
The 58-year-old former Real Housewives of Orange County star said on the podcast: ‘I did everything right, except falling prey to divorce. I mean, I think that hindsight, um, I know for a fact that if I wasn’t on a reality show, I wouldn’t have been divorced.’
Her opinion: She was married to Donn Gunvalson for 20 years, from 1994 until they divorced in 2014. And during her appearance on the Behind The Velvet Rope with David Yontef podcast , Vicki Gunvalson blames her divorce on reality television; seen November 16, 2019 in NYC
‘And that cost Don and I both a lot of money because we had to split assets and alimony and all that stuff,’ she explained.
‘So I paid more to him than he did to me because I had the business. So that’s hurtful and that’s hard.’
Following her divorce with Donn, she dated Brooks Ayers, who she filed a lawsuit against in 2019 accusing him of not paying her back money she loaned him in 2011.
She said on the podcast: ‘Then I got taken for a ride by Brooks and he owes me over $300,000. And then I was in a block of lawsuits.’
Candid: The 58-year-old former Real Housewives of Orange County star said on the podcast: ‘I did everything right, except falling prey to divorce. I mean, I think that hindsight, um, I know for a fact that if I wasn’t on a reality show, I wouldn’t have been divorced’
The reality star claimed that all of the money related things ‘happened because of the show,’ so its not all good.
Vicki also claimed that her former castmate Tamra Judge is in a ‘very expensive lawsuit’ because of the Real Housewives show.
On lessons she learned, Vicki said: ‘You got to watch what you say, you got to watch who you surround yourself with and bank everything you make. Do not live off of it. Go get a job and bank your salary because this, this will end for everybody one day. It will end.’
Vicki, who was an original cast member, left the RHOC show in January 2020 after 14 years.
She left after she was demoted to a reduced role on the show and says she still doesn’t know why: ‘My ego is pretty bruised and I an ego just like the way everybody does because… I never got an explanation, but I was used every, every, every episode, ever drama was centered around me, even my birthday party, look at all the different things that happen, The Tres Amigas and all that fun stuff.’
Former: ‘And that cost Donn and I both a lot of money because we had to split assets and alimony and all that stuff,’ she explained; pictured with Donn
Former: The reality star claimed that all of the money related things ‘happened because of the show,’ so its not all good
Vicki thinks she did the right thing: ‘The answer, I think I did the right thing. I was offered a reduced role this year and I said not.’
The TV star also revealed on the podcast that she saved all her money from the Real Housewives of Orange County.
She explained: ‘Through all my years of being on Bravo, I never bought anything news other than new clothes. I didn’t. I mean, I leased my cars through my company. I didn’t buy a new house. I didn’t live beyond my means.’
Vicki added: ‘I paid my taxes, paid my attorneys and banked it. And that’s why I was able to buy a home for cash. And I’m super proud of myself as a single woman to be, you know, having a business and working 15 hours a day and able to balance it as best I can while being on a show.’
Vicki is currently engaged to Steve Lodge, but isn’t planning her wedding anytime soon, she told Us Weekly earlier this month.
‘It’s my third marriage, Steve’s fourth, so we’re not going to do wedding [stuff]. But right now, we’re pausing everything. There’s no need to.’
Adding: ‘He’s got his money, I’ve got my money – we don’t need to get married. So, we’ll see what happens. There’s no rush.’
Current beau: Vicki is currently engaged to Steve Lodge, but isn’t planning her wedding anytime soon, she told Us Weekly earlier this month