Why Vanderpump Rules Producers Didn't Pursue Scandoval Storyline Harder

Why Vanderpump Rules Producers Didn't Pursue Scandoval Storyline Harder,Andy Cohen opens up about why "Vanderpump Rules" producers didn't realize Tom Sandoval was cheating on Ariana Madix with Raquel Leviss during filming and didn't pursue the Scandoval storyline. The Radio Andy host says they told him it was all because Ariana was adamant there was nothing to be concerned about.

Why Vanderpump Rules Producers Didn't Pursue Scandoval Storyline Harder

Andy Cohen reveals what producers told him after asking how they didn't realize Raquel Leviss and Tom Sandoval were hooking up.

It’s safe to say the “Vanderpump Rules” viewing experience has changed after Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss’ affair was revealed two months ago, with fans watching the season with a new lens as signs of their secret relationship are beginning to show.

And now, Andy Cohen has opened up about why producers didn’t seem to question that anything was amiss — aka Sandoval cheating on Ariana Madix — during filming, and didn’t pursue the Scandoval storyline further.

On Thursday’s episode of his SiriusXM radio show “Radio Andy,” the Bravo host revealed he asked producers how they didn’t notice what was happening, and shared they told him it was all because Ariana assured them there was nothing to be concerned about.

“This is what production pointed to because I called them once I started seeing the episodes, and I was like, ‘Are you telling me you guys didn’t get that this was happening?’ Andy said, per Us Weekly. “And they said they all kind of followed Ariana’s lead. And Ariana was saying, ‘No. I know Raquel and this is not happening.'”

“The funny thing is — if you think about it now — if you listen to what Ariana is saying, she is not saying, ‘Tom would never do that,'” he continued. “Isn’t she mainly pointing to Raquel? She [kept saying] that Raquel is not that kind of girl and that we were barking up the wrong tree.”

Andy added, “I think because Ariana was shutting down the conversations about them being in an open relationship, and she was shutting down the idea that Raquel could ever even do that. That is why no one took it further, and that is why it actually was a surprise. Then you look at this footage, and you’re like, ‘This story wrote itself.'”

Season 10 of “Vanderpump Rules” had completed filming before the affair came to light. However, it went back into production immediately after the cheating scandal blew up big time in the public. While Sandoval and Raquel’s affair hasn’t been exposed yet on the show, viewers know the two already kissed at least once off-camera before the current timeline.

However, in recent episodes, multiple co-stars have become suspicious about Sandoval and Raquel’s “friendship.” There has also been some apparent growing tension between Sandoval and Ariana, with the former expressing concerns about his relationship with the latter.

Meanwhile, Ariana has continued to come to Raquel’s defense throughout Season 10. On Wednesday’s most recent episode, Ariana had a chat with Katie Maloney about the open relationship rumors about her and Sandoval, with the former noting that she had “trust” in both Raquel and her boyfriend at the time.

“Obviously, I love Raquel dearly, she’s one of my closest friends and I not only trust and love her but I trust and love my boyfriend,” she told Katie.

In March, TMZ broke the news that Sandoval and Ariana had split after nine years together, amid the Madix’s discovery that the Tom had been cheating on her with Raquel.

Sandoval later issued an apology to Ariana through a statement posted to Instagram. In it, the reality star admitted, “I dishonored Ariana.” He went on to say he never meant to disappoint anyone, and concluded that he has work to do on himself.

“I wish things had happened in a different order and our relationship was not severely tarnished, and that it ended with the same respect with for her that it began with,” Sandoval wrote at the time. “I owed Ariana better.”

“The choices I made hurt so many people,” The TomTom bar owner noted, without detailing any of those choices. “I acted in a way that clashes with who and how I want to be.”

“Vanderpump Rules” airs Wednesdays on Bravo.