Brittany Cartwright is refusing to film with ex-husband Jax Taylor if he returns to The Valley, following the exposure of his relationship with her longtime publicist and self-described "good friend" Lori Krebs, according to the Daily Mail. A source close to the group said most of the cast is backing Cartwright, 37, including people she does not get along with, because they understand why she is upset and does not want to be around Taylor, 47.
Taylor starred in the first two seasons of The Valley and has publicly taken credit for creating and casting the Bravo series. He left the show last year to seek treatment for substance abuse and mental health issues as his marriage to Cartwright fell apart.
Taylor referenced his ex-wife's efforts to block his reality TV comeback in an Instagram post this week. He wrote that what hurt the most was feeling like no matter how hard he worked to rebuild his life or earn new opportunities, there were constant attempts to tear those opportunities away. He said Cartwright had directly contacted networks and brands in an effort to stop him from working and to prevent him from getting opportunities affecting his ability to earn a living.
Producers scouting new cast for season four
Producers are interviewing potential new cast members for The Valley's fourth season following strong ratings this year, though nothing has been officially decided. A source said producers have been looking at fresh faces who organically fit in with the group rather than bringing back more former Vanderpump Rules stars, as they did last season. The source added that Tom Sandoval, James Kennedy and Scheana Shay should not be expected on the show next year. Cartwright, meanwhile, is reportedly looking forward to sharing her side of the story once filming resumes.
Blindsided by the relationship
According to pals, the Kentucky-born bartender was "completely blindsided" by Taylor's relationship with Krebs, since Krebs was both a personal friend of the former couple and their shared longtime publicist. An insider said Krebs was not just Taylor's publicist but deeply embedded in their entire world, which is what made the revelation so shocking.
Rumors that Taylor and Krebs were more than friends first surfaced more than two years ago, but both Taylor and Cartwright shut down the speculation on their podcast at the time. On a February 22, 2024 episode of When Reality Hits, Cartwright called Krebs their publicist and a very good friend of hers, describing her as an amazing publicist and a super hard worker who does so much amazing work for them.
Friends had long suspected the truth
While Cartwright believed nothing was going on between Krebs and her ex-husband, others in her circle had been wary of Krebs for years. An insider said Cartwright had heard the rumors long before everyone else did, but Taylor and Krebs always denied anything was happening and she wanted to believe them. The insider said everyone else in the friend circle was convinced the whispers were true and told Cartwright to fire Krebs, but she chose to believe Krebs and thought Taylor had made it up to hurt her. The insider added that Cartwright was heartbroken and embarrassed once she discovered they had been hooking up, feeling like she had been made a fool of in front of their friends and the world.
Another source said people around Taylor and Krebs started noticing the dynamic had changed before it became public. That source said Krebs seemed much more emotionally invested than expected from a publicist and that friends picked up on undeniable chemistry between them, with moments where the tension in the room was impossible to ignore.
Conflicting accounts on the timeline
A source close to the couple insisted they never had a years-long secret affair and never cheated on their partners, saying the romance only began in the last eight months. A second source told the Daily Mail that Krebs and Taylor got closer in the last few months and that there was never any romantic relationship before that, adding that Cartwright knows this and is using the situation to spin a narrative in her favor.
Some friends do not expect the relationship between Taylor and Krebs to last now that it is public. An insider said most people in their friend group think secrecy is what made the relationship exciting, and that now that it is out in the open, people are starting to think it will not have staying power. The insider added that it still seems wrong in many ways, but that Taylor's real friends hope it finally brings him some stability and happiness.
Would Krebs join Taylor on camera?
Daily Mail understands Taylor may still be hoping to return to The Valley despite Cartwright's efforts to freeze him out, though whether Krebs would join him on camera is unclear. One insider said Krebs seemed to evolve from working behind the scenes as a publicist to becoming part of the scene herself, walking red carpets, showing up at events and becoming very visible, adding that Krebs seemed to be trying too hard to be in the spotlight and that it would not be surprising if she eventually wanted to be on The Valley.
A source close to the couple pushed back on that idea, saying Taylor would not go back to The Valley if asked and has no interest in returning or putting himself in a situation as toxic as the cast is. That source said Taylor has come too far in his recovery, and protecting his mental health and shielding his son from the toxicity is his top priority, adding that Krebs has never wanted any part of reality TV.
Relationship confirmed in Mexico
Taylor confirmed his relationship with Krebs after the pair were spotted holding each other in a pool during a Mexico vacation in mid-July. After news broke of the display, a furious Cartwright fired Krebs as her publicist, and other reality stars in her circle have vowed not to work with Krebs either. The Daily Mail has contacted Taylor, Krebs and Cartwright for comment.
Days after the sighting, Cartwright broke her silence on her podcast, saying she would be speaking her truth on the matter very soon whenever she was ready. She said she was currently focusing on herself and the most important thing in her life, her son. Explaining that she was trying to protect her son and her peace, she said she would elaborate publicly on the controversy very soon, adding that she thinks everybody kind of understands what is going on.
Taylor and Cartwright announced their split in February 2024, with Cartwright filing for divorce that August. They share one son, five-year-old Cruz, who was diagnosed with autism.
