Brittany Cartwright Breaks Her Silence On Jax Taylor’s Shocking Exit From ‘The Valley’

 It sounds like Brittany Cartwright is more than ready for Jax Taylor to take his final bow on the Bravo stage.

While appearing on Andy Cohen's "Watch What Happens Live," Cartwright, 36, gave her candid thoughts on her estranged husband's departure from "The Valley," which will conclude its second season in mid-August 2025.

Last week, Taylor, a Bravo staple since his debut on "Vanderpump Rules" in 2013, announced to his followers that he was stepping away from the cameras to focus on his health amid his sobriety journey.

"After an incredibly challenging year and many honest conversations with my team and producers, I'll be stepping away from the next season of The Valley," the 45-year-old said.

"Right now, my focus needs to be on my sobriety, my mental health, and coparenting. Taking this time is necessary for me to become the best version of myself,  especially for our son, Cruz," he added.

According to a previous report, Taylor's exit came as a complete surprise to the rest of the cast of "The Valley," which includes some of his longtime Bravo peers, such as Tom Schwartz, Scheana Shay, and Kristen Doute.

"They were not given any advance notifications about his exit," a source shared. "Most of the cast were notified that filming was going to begin at the end of the summer, and they expected Jax would be a part of the new season because, even as lately as yesterday, he hadn't said otherwise. This is a huge surprise."

Cartwright specifically called Taylor's departure a "great decision by everyone" involved while speaking with Cohen on the recent episode of "WWHL."

Taylor's departure comes months after the villainous reality star admitted to struggling with an addiction to cocaine for two decades, prompting him to check into a rehabilitation center during season 2 of "The Valley."

Recently, the father of one appeared on the "We're Out Of Time" podcast with addiction recovery expert Richard Taite and shared how rehab helped reframe his mindset regarding alcohol and drugs, leading him to make a bold declaration.

"I know for a fact — and I know you're not supposed to say it — but I know for a fact I will not touch drugs and alcohol again," Taylor said. "I know that. I have no interest in it. I'm not triggered by it. "

After Taylor announced his exit from "The Valley" ahead of the show's third season, Bravo fans began dissecting his statement all across social media.

On Reddit, one user said, "He would never willingly leave reality TV, for any reason at all. He was let go from the show."

Someone else commented, "Nah, firing him is not enough. I need Bravo to file for a restraining order that he cannot come with x amount of feet of a filming crew, location, set, reunion host, or TV personality."

"Thank god they did this," another user shared. "There's a lot of trash on Bravo, but he's legitimately the worst of the worst. He can't even say the word Cruz, it's always, 'my son.' He's totally void of any human emotions or feelings."

Meanwhile, on Instagram, many users questioned how forthcoming Taylor was actually being regarding his exit.

"His team?? Who does that consist of ... Schwartz, his sister, and the regulars at his bar tent?" someone commented on the post above.

"I wonder what the ACTUAL story is. Was he fired, but producers said he could say it was his choice? I need the real dirty details," another wrote.

Popular streamer and blogger Kempire also chimed in, theorizing, "Sounds like Bravo heard the fans and said we think you should focus on your mental health."

"We won't be renewing your contract for next season, but we can revisit in the future," he continued.

The three-part reunion for "The Valley" season 2 will take place from July 29, 2025, to August 12, 2025. Episodes air on Bravo on Tuesdays at 8 PM EST and stream the next day on Peacock.