The last word? Denise Richards spoke out following the announcement that she will not be returning to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills next season.
“I had a great first season. The second season was challenging,” the 49-year-old actress said on The Real on Monday, September 21. “I just thought it was the right time for me to go and to just keep focusing on the other projects that I have. I had a great time. I will always be a fan and I will continue to support the show.”
When asked about a potential return to reality TV, Richards told the Real cohosts, including pal Garcelle Beauvais, that she’s open to the idea.
“Absolutely. Never say never,” the former It’s Complicated star said. “I love that things have changed.”
Richards was also sure to thank Beauvais for having her back during season 10.
“You know, all these dinners kind of go sideways quickly and her and I would have side conversations and no one else would really pay attention or hear us cause they were too busy talking about themselves so [we] would just look at each other and laugh at that,” she told Loni Love, Jeannie Mai and Adrienne Bailon about her “really fun” moments with Beauvais on the show. “Garcelle, it almost makes me want to cry. I truly could not have gotten through this season without you, honestly. She is a girl’s girl. A good friend. Your loyalty is beyond and I really could not have gotten through this season without you.”
A rep for the Bold and the Beautiful star confirmed to Us Weekly on September 9 that she is stepping back from the Bravo series ahead of season 11. The news came hours before part two of the season 10 reunion aired on the network.
At the time, Richards didn’t address her departure, but instead downplayed her continued drama with costar Brandi Glanville.
Throughout the season, the Wild Things actress has been in the hot seat after Glanville, 47, claimed the two had sex while she was visiting Richards on set in April 2019. The alleged affair was detailed during a July episode of RHOBH.
Following Richards’ exit announcement, Glanville seemingly responded to The Real Girl Next Door author’s to drop the bomb ahead of the cast’s virtual catchup.
“The word of the night is calculated #timing,” she tweeted. “#Are you f–king kidding me.”
Although Richards has repeatedly denied the affair claims, she addressed her relationship with the Drinking and Tweeting author during part two of the reunion.
“Every, I would say about, 10 text messages that were sent to me from Brandi I would respond,” she told her costars. “She would always contact me wanting to go to dinner and this and that, and I never did. It was a very, I would call it like an acquaintance exchange, truly. But I was always nice to her. I was. I had no reason not to.”
Glanville previously told Us exclusively that she was “not lying” about the alleged hookup.
“People can say whatever they want to say,” she told Us in July. “Listen, it doesn’t matter because I know my truth and the truth is setting me free right now because I don’t have to keep this f—king secret anymore.”
The Drinking and Dating author also claimed that Richards’ husband, Aaron Phypers, knew she was on set and that she “never even saw” him during her visit.
“The morning after … I was just kind of in shock by it,” Glanville said. “And she continued to be really nice to me. And she would text me to check in but she was just very unavailable, she definitely hit it and quit it. So I was like, ‘Oh s—t, this bitch.’”
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