We all know that Real Housewives can bring the drama, but sometimes the fighting isn’t just on screen. Behind the scenes, a lot of the couples’ relationships are just as chaotic as the show would imply. Rife with scandals, lies, and betrayals, sometimes the off-camera stories can prove just as intriguing as the ones on screen. Check out all the Real Housewives couples that called it quits on their marriages, if not the show.
Teresa and Joe Giudice – RHONJ
Iconic Real Housewives of New Jersey couple Teresa and Joe Guidice separated after 20 years of marriage and four kids together. The Italian duo was known for their spicy cooking and spicy tempers with Teresa getting so angry in one episode that she flipped a table. With a happy marriage, four adorable daughters, and plenty of money to go around, the two seemed like the perfect picture of domestic bliss.
Behind the scenes, however, there was trouble in paradise. It turned out some of Joe’s business dealings were not exactly legal, and after a fraud charge and run-in with ICE, he was sent back to his native Italy. The couple agreed they did not want to do a long-distance relationship and decided to go their separate ways. Teresa got remarried to Luis Ruelas, yet she and Joe seem to be on good terms, saying neither one harbors ill will towards the other. Joe is also reportedly moving on with his life and dating an Italian lawyer.
Kenya Moore and Marc Daly – RHOA
Only two years after their secret marriage, this Real Housewives of Atlanta couple parted ways. Kenya and Marc married in secret between seasons nine and 10, and then in an even bigger surprise, welcomed their daughter Brooklyn in November 2018. The couple seemed over the moon with their marriage and new baby, but their post-marital bliss was to be short-lived.
Just a little over a year later, in September 2019, Kenya announced the couple’s split. In a statement to US she simply explained: “Due to recent and ongoing circumstances, I can no longer continue in the marriage.” The reason was vague and the details were not forthcoming. However, their divorce has never been finalized and she reports that it is “at a standstill.” She also told US that she was open to having another baby with her estranged husband, so with these two you just never know.
Danielle Staub and Marty Caffrey – RHONJ
No surprise here; Danielle has been engaged 21 times and married three. This woman has more engagement rings than most people have pairs of underwear. Danielle and Marty were only married for a year, but their relationship had enough drama for a lifetime.
The two parted ways in September 2019 after allegations of an altercation and with matching restraining orders filed on each other. Marty then evicted Danielle from their 2.19 million dollar New Jersey home and sold it! The couple’s split was anything but amicable and proved just another scene in Danielle’s turbulent relationship history.
Adrienne and Paul Maloof – RHOBH
After 10 years of marriage and three seasons of fights, this Real Housewives of Beverly Hills couple finally called it quits. Much to viewers’ (and probably their own) relief. The Botched doctor and his wife filed for divorce in August of 2012 in an initially rocky battle over custody and assets. The two share three boys together and Adrienne initially accused Paul of abuse. The allegations were denied and finally, the estranged couple reached agreed-upon terms in November 2012, which finalized their divorce. After much ado, the two did seem to straighten out their relationship finally and in 2017, Paul reported to E! News that he and Adrienne were doing “fantastic” and had worked out co-parenting their three children.
Camille and Kelsey Grammar – RHOBH
Speaking of Beverly Hills, here is another California couple that simply did not stand the test of time. Hollywood actor Kelsey Grammar, star of the hit show Frasier, married Camille in 1997, but the two announced their split in 2010 and it was anything but amicable.
Camille disclosed in an interview with the New York Post that she believed Kelsey had encouraged her to do the show, so that she would be distracted in California and he could continue his New York affair undisturbed. While Kesley denied the allegation, he did end up marrying the stewardess he was having an affair with just two weeks after his divorce was official. The couple then went on to have three children together while Camille went on to marry David Meyer a few years later.
Tamra Judge and Simon Barney – RHOC
The limo ride that no one will ever forget; in season fivr of Real Housewives of Orange County Tamra spent the entire length of a limo ride screaming at Simon calling him a “nasty, vile person” saying she wanted a divorce, and then telling him to go “f*ck” himself.
Shortly after this unfortunate event, Simon filed for divorce citing Tamra was “being verbally abusive” and had “committed acts of disloyalty and adultery”. Tamra refuted the claims, but since some of the accusations were captured on camera, they were difficult to dispute. She was even arrested on charges of domestic violence, although they were eventually dropped.
The drama didn’t end there: although the two agreed to shared custody of their children, their youngest daughter, Sidney, had plenty to say about it. She accused her mother publicly of “neglecting” her in a very alarming Facebook post. She subsequently spent most of her time with her father, although she did reconcile with Tamra following her cancer diagnosis. Tamra also ended up remarrying, tying the knot with Eddie Judge in 2013.
Gina and Matthew Kirschenheiter – RHOC
Gina and Matthew’s Real Housewives of Orange County relationship was short-lived as they split during the very first season of filming. They had been together for seven years and shared three children, but abruptly announced to US Weekly:“After careful consideration and deep thought, we have decided to end our legal marriage. With that said, we will never end our friendship and will forever remain family.”
Shortly thereafter, however, the couple decided to give it another go. Less than a year after announcing their split, they announced a reconciliation, which proved to be even more short-lived than the initial separation. Less than a month after reconciling, the couple had split again and this time far less amiably. Instead of heartfelt poems or glowing interviews, there were harsh words and restraining orders. Two days later Matthew was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence but was never formally charged.
This time the separation stuck and the two have not “found their way back to each other” post-split. Their divorce was finalized in 2020 and divorced they remain.
Vicki and Donn Gunvalson – RHOC
After 17 years of marriage and less than a year after their touching on-screen vow renewal, Real Housewives of Orange County couple Vicki and Donn Gunvalson parted ways in 2010. As you can imagine the reunion special was tense, with Donn claiming he was blindsided by the divorce filing and accusing Vicki of treating him disrespectfully. Vicki got engaged to Steve Lodge in 2019 but two years later the couple still hadn’t tied the knot. Finally, it was revealed that Steve had “dumped” Vicki as she explained in the show’s June premiere.
Kelly and Michael Dodd – RHOC
Sometimes the second time is the charm as for this couple it took two divorce filings to make it stick. In 2017 the Real Housewives of Orange County stars filed for divorce a second time after initially filing in 2012. The couple had been together for 11 years and shared one daughter together. Kelly reported to the Daily Mail “I’m done with our marriage. It’s just a case where two people can’t get along.”The couple remains on fairly good times and continues to co-parent their young daughter Jolie. In 2018 their divorce was finalized.
Shannon and David Beador – RHOC
Oh, the roller coaster relationship these two had! Affairs, breakups, vow renewals… it was a wild ride, even for a Real Housewives relationship. Finally, after 17 long years of marriage and a multitude of ups and downs, the two called it quits in 2019. The once-couple still co-parent their three daughters.
Ramona and Mario Singer – RHONY
The city that never sleeps brought us the couple that made us never sleep. In one of the more shocking divorces in Real Housewives history, Ramona and Mario called it quits in 2016 after 20 years of marriage. Mario’s illicit affair and reconnection with his mistress prompted Ramona to file papers in 2014 initially, but she then agreed to reconcile. This didn’t last very long as two years later the divorce was refiled and finalized. They share custody of one young daughter, and despite the impetus of their divorce, the two are reportedly on very good terms, even going so far as to quarantine together during the 2020 pandemic. That’s pretty close. So is another reconciliation in the works? Stranger things have happened.
Dina and Tommy Manzo – RHNJ
Dina and Tommy went their separate ways shortly after Dina joined the Real Housewives of New Jersey. They had been together five years and some surmised the new roles in the spotlight may have shaken things up in the marriage.
Wen a year later Dina married David Cantin, fans thought there might have been other factors leading to the split. As messy as that scenario was, there was still more to come. In 2020 according to documents discovered by US it was alleged that Tommy Manzo was facing federal charges for hiring a “mobster” to attack Dina’s then-boyfriend David Cantin back in 2015. Supposedly, the attack was to be carried out in exchange for a “lavish” wedding reception at The Brownstone Restaurant in New Jersey, a restaurant that Manzo just happened to own. Manzo pled guilty.
Tareq and Michaele Salahi – RHODC
From the White House to divorce court, these two certainly know how to make a splash! Best known for crashing a White House party in Real Housewives of DC, the dynamic duo of eight years eventually parted ways. RHODC was only on for one season, but these two certainly made their mark in the Real Housewives family. Only a year after the show’s ending these real-life party crashers filed for divorced and in 2012 it was finalized.
Marysol Patten and Philippe Pautesta-Herder – RHOM
We are sensing a pattern here. There just seems to be something about the on-camera nuptials for Real Housewives couples that don’t seem to go well, as Marysol and Philippe also parted ways a short year after their Aspen “I Do’s”. The split appeared to be amicable, especially as compared to some of their more chaotic costars, and the two seem to remain on good terms.
Taylor and Russell Armstrong – RHOBH
The story of Taylor and Russell is certainly a heartbreaking one. After fighting against rumors of their split during the first season of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, they actually did split shortly after. After six years of marriage, Taylor accused Russell of domestic violence and filed for divorce in 2011. A month later, he died by suicide in his Mulholland home. Russell had been dealing with legal, marital, and financial troubles all leading to depression and overwhelming stress. The two had one daughter together. Taylor remarried in 2014.
Yolanda Hadid and David Foster – RHOBH
If there was an award for the most bizarre Real Housewives relationship, celebrity couple Yolanda and David would probably win it. Their story has many layers to it, starting with their connections to the celebrity world. David was previously married to Linda Thompson, who was the first wife of celebrity Caitlyn Jenner, who then went on to marry Kris Jenner of the Kardashian clan. Yolanda is the mother of Gigi and Bella, also very well-known names. David was also married to BJ Cook and Rebecca Dyer, whom he had children of his own with, so a lot of connections and family ties. David is also a music producer with 16 Grammy’s under his belt, yet he felt that somehow all got lost in his reality TV appearances and famous connections.
The couple’s story gets even stranger. After contracting Lyme disease Yolanda grew ill, yet in 2015 she announced her and David’s impending divorce. The couple had dated for five years and been married for six, so it was certainly a shock to fans and cast members alike. Even more strange, David refused to disclose the reason for the split. Amidst allegations he had left Yolanda due to her illness, he replied in his documentary David Foster: Off The Record: “How can I leave a sick woman? The fact of the matter is, that is not the reason why I left,” he said. “It was for a different reason … but it had nothing to do with her being sick.”
Less than a year after finalizing his divorce from Yolanda, David remarried a woman 34 years his junior. A very strange ending to a very strange relationship.
Phaedra Parks and Apollo Nida – RHOA
Here is another couple with a lot of layers to their relationship. Apollo and Phaedra made it through five seasons on Real Housewives of Atlanta before finally calling it quits in 2014. Years of custody battles and fights delayed their actual divorce all the way until 2017. Following that, Apollo took a little eight-year spin in prison due to fraud. While there in 2016, he became engaged to someone new. Phaedra is dating on and off but remains mainly single while she focuses on raising the once couple’s two shared children.
Jim and Meghan Edmonds – RHOC
Only one day after celebrating their fifth-year wedding anniversary, the once-pro ball player and his wife decided to go their separate ways. In an interview with US, Meghan revealed the reason behind the divorce was that she felt Jim was cheating on her with their nanny. Despite Jim denying these allegations, the two divorced nonetheless. They were married for five years and shared three children together.
DeShawn and Eric Snow – RHOA
If you’re having trouble remembering this couple, it’s for good reason, since they only appeared for one season on Real Housewives of Atlanta before calling it quits on both the show and their marriage. The two were married for 12 years and shared three children.
Charisse and Eddie Jordan – RHOP
Reality shows can be tough on marriages, and professional basketball player Eddie Jordan knew it. He even told his then-wife that doing Real Housewives of Potomac would most likely lead to their divorce, and he was right! After only two seasons on the show, their 20-year marriage fell apart. They filed for divorce in 2017 and it was finalized in 2019. They have two children together.
Mary and Rich Amons – RHODC
Mary and Rich were one of the longest-running couples featured on the show, with a 26-year marriage and five children under their belt, so the couple’s split was unexpected. In a public statement to Page Six, Mary revealed: “It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I have decided to end my 26-year marriage. While I have the deepest respect for my husband and wish him the very best, we have grown apart”. The couple was among four RHODC couples who called it quits.
Nene and Gregg Leakes – RHOA
After 14 years of marriage in 2011, Nene and Gregg Leaks of Real Housewives of Atlanta, called it quits. The couple was a fan favorite, so much so that Nene even got her own spinoff, I Dream of NeNe: The Wedding which featured the two’s vow renewal in 2013. The two reconciled but, unfortunately, Gregg Leakes died in 2021 after a long battle with colon cancer. Nene is now dating someone new, but continues to mourn her late husband.
Cynthia Bailey and Peter Thomas – RHOA
Fans watched as model Cynthia Bailey and bar owner Peter Thomas fell in love on Real Housewives of Atlanta, and by season three the two were engaged. Their marriage lasted six years before the two called it quits in 2016. Thomas openly alleged that the split was due to Cynthia not supporting his career ambitions. He also claimed the show also led to some of their problems and ultimately their demise. Their divorce was finalized in 2017.
Lisa Wu and Ed Hartwell – RHOA
After two seasons on Real Housewives of Atlanta, Lisa and Ed decided to part ways. The former backup dancer was married to the ex-football star for five years and their divorce still remains somewhat shrouded with mystery. There were rumors that the split may have been for financial reasons, but in a since-deleted tweet Lisa disputed the claims. Neither Lisa nor Ed ever came out directly with the reasons behind their divorce, which was finalized in 2012.
Joanna Krupa and Romain Zago – RHOM
Fans watched Joanna and Romain’s tumultuous relationship and marriage unfold on Real Housewives of Miami. Finally in 2017, after four years of less than marital bliss, the couple tapped out of their marriage much to the relief of fans. Within a year Joanna was remarried to Douglas Nunes.
Stacie Scott and Jason Turner – RHODC
Stacie and Jason were one of the fan favorites of Real Housewives of D.C., but that didn’t stop them from calling it quits after 14 years of marriage. The two parted as friends and continue to co-parent their two children.
Cat and Charles Ommanney – RHODC
Cat and Charles’s marriage lasted less than two years, another casualty of the ‘RHODC curse’. That season had so many divorces that fans began to joke it was cursed. It does indeed seem odd as many of the couples, claim filming was at least one of if not the contributing factor in their divorces.
In an interview with the New York Times, Charles admits he wished he had said no to the show. Cat, for her part, told Parade that their marriage fell apart during filming. Oddly enough, five yexars after the filming of the show which only lasted one season, all the couples originally featured are divorced, some of which had been married for 14 years or more. Eerie.
Porsha Williams and Kordell Stewart – RHOA
Porsha and Kordell of Real Housewives of Atlanta have one of the more notorious divorces in all of Housewives history. Imagine finding out about your husband filing for divorce, over social media. That’s precisely the situation Porsha found herself in. The former football player and his bride were only together for two years of marriage before filing for divorce in 2013.
It was also rumored that Porsha got almost nothing in the divorce, most likely due to a prenup. Shockingly enough in 2021, Porsha got engaged to Simon Guobadia, who is the ex-husband of her RHOA costar Falynn Guobadia. One thing is for sure: Real Housewives knows how to bring the drama, and Porsha Williams and Kordell Stewart certainly know how to bring the heat both on and off the field.
Jules and Michael Wainstein – RHONY
After eight years of marriage, two kids, and one season of Real Housewives, the New York couple called it quits, although the drama didn’t end there. The two not only had vastly different heights, but vastly different post-breakup stories. Jules claimed Michael had had an affair, while Michael claimed Jules was abusive. Both denied the allegations, but in 2020 Jules was arrested for allegedly assaulting Michael in front of their children. She pled not guilty and, finally, the two finalized their messy divorce.
Luann and Count Alex De Lesseps – RHONY
After two seasons of Real Housewives of New York and 16 years of marriage, Luann and Count Alex called it quits. While the decision did seem sudden, it wasn’t wholly unexpected. Rumors had abounded that the two had an open marriage, although they continued to deny it.
Luann continued to struggle post-divorce. She briefly remarried, then a year later was going through another divorce and an arrest in 2017. She went to rehab and things had just begun looking up for the former countess when once again, things took a turn for the worse.
In 2018, she found herself on the receiving end of a lawsuit, lodged by her ex-husband and even her own children. Long story short, they alleged that Luann was attempting to sell a home that was set up in a trust for her children, without arranging for them to receive payment on the sale. The father and his children implored the court to block the sale of the home. It got pretty ugly. Not exactly a fairy tale ending for the Count and his once-wife.
Luann De Lesseps and Tom D’Agostino – RHONY
Remember that year-long marriage that was the precursor to Luann’s arrest and rehab stay? That was to Tom D’Agostino. As mentioned she was having some difficulties during the time of their marriage, not the least of which was D’Agostino’s behavior, so their divorce wasn’t exactly a surprise.
D’Agostino got caught making out with other women at the New York Regency, yet despite that and multiple costar warnings, Luann and Tom got married anyway. A mere seven months later saw the couple parting ways and shortly after came Luann’s arrest, which she blamed in no small part on Tom’s behavior and their divorce.
Bethenny Frankel and Jason Hoppy – RHONY
Bethenny Frankel is arguably one of the most recognized members of the Real Housewives family. The ‘Skinny Girl” brand creator brought Jason on the show for season three of Real Housewives of New York. She found out she was pregnant and Jason ended up proposing. The two started their very own spinoff “Bethenny Ever After” that lasted for three seasons, before the couple decided to part ways four years after initially tying the knot.
Even though the relationship was over, it didn’t quite mean the legal marriage was. Their divorce lasted as long as their marriage did in order to finally settle disputes over assets and custody of their daughter. After they finally reached a settlement, two years later they were back in court as Bethenny fought for full custody of their daughter.
Due to her on-again-off-again boyfriend Dennis Shields’s death, which was an alleged overdose, there were questions as to whether she would win out, then she did. Bethenny was awarded primary custody of her author and no longer had to pay her ex-husband child support.
Alexis and Jim Bellino – RHOC
Alexis and Jim were married for 13 years and had twin daughters and one son. Unlike many of the other couples, they actually made it through their time on RHOC intact, but five years after they left the show, they filed for divorce in 2018.
While their divorce was fairly straightforward, citing only “irreconcilable differences”, their costars reaction was far from amicable. The Real Housewife’s former husband ended up suing the former costars Shannon Beador and Tamra Judge for $1 million dollars after they bad-mouthed Jim, his ex-wife, and his business. The case was finally settled but the bad blood between the former costars remains.
Carlton and Debbi Gebbia – RHOBH
Carlton and Debbi filed for divorce after 20 years of marriage and one season of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, although they didn’t divorce until three years after their time on the show. The couple shares three children and while their split may have been amicable, it didn’t mean there wasn’t drama. In an odd turn of events, Carlton was sued by a former maid, alleging she had been attacked. The allegations were shocking but denied by Carlton.
Jeana and Matt Keough – RHOC
Jeana and Matt were on Real Housewives of Orange County for three seasons, In 2007, after 23 years of marriage and three children together, the couple called it quits. Unfortunately in 2010, following his second DUI, Matt went to prison, and then in May 2020 he passed away from a pulmonary embolism. Jeana currently works in real estate.
Lynn and Frank Curtin – RHOC
The second time was the charm with these two, as it took two divorce filings for them to finalize their divorce. The pair made their debut on Real Housewives of Orange County seasons four and five, but following their time on the show and after 22 years of marriage, Lynn attempted to divorce Frank. Although Lynn was ready to move on, apparently Frank wasn’t quite there because he refused to answer the divorce filing and didnt’ show up in court. Lynn had to refile the divorce in 2019. Lynn is now a grandmother and is back in the dating game.
So many divorces, so little time! Real Housewives is almost as famous for its divorces as its relationships. From cheating scandals to lawsuits and even criminal activity one thing is for sure, there is never a dull moment in the Real Housewives family.
Published: Nov 2, 2022 08:58 pm