“For the sake of my mental health”: Vanderpump Rules’s Brittany Cartwright announces separation from husband Jax Taylor

Brittany Cartwright and Jax Taylor from seasons 1 to 8 of Vanderpump Rules have officially announced their separation, as reported by USA Today. The heartbreaking news comes mere days after the launch of a sneak peek of their new show, The Valley, which follows couples either raising kids or trying to conceive.

The Valley, a spin-off of Vanderpump Rules, is expected to focus on Brittany and Jax raising their 3-year-old son and possibly trying to have more children. Amidst fan frenzy to see the alumni of a coveted show returning, Brittany Cartwright addressed her separation from Jax on their joint podcast, When Reality Hits with Jax and Brittany. She said,

"Jax and I are taking time apart, and I made the decision to move into another home to take some space for the sake of my mental health."

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Why did Brittany Cartwright decide to separate from fellow Vanderpump Rules alumni Jax Taylor?

While explicit details regarding Brittany's decision to leave Jax have not been disclosed, fans have gleaned some insights from Brittany's confessions on the podcast. According to her, the major reason for their split was Jax's toll on her mental health.

Brittany only addressed it briefly because she said the breakup was "still very hard to talk about." Referring to the times she spoke about hardships in marriages and relationships on the last episodes of her podcast, Brittany Cartwright said, "On my last podcast, I alluded to how many marriages go through rocky times." She continued,

"Yes, marriages in general are very hard, and I’ve had a particularly rough year this past year."

Talking about her current priorities, she said that she's "taking one day at a time" and that,

"I don’t know what the future holds, but right now my focus is on being the best mom to Cruz."

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Brittany Cartwright and Jax Taylor's journey through their tumultuous relationship

The couple, who have been married for more than five years, have faced serious mishaps in the past, including Jax's rumored cheating scandal. According to the rumor circulating four years ago, Jax allegedly cheated on Brittany with his co-worker Faith Stowers in front of a 95-year-old woman who was Brittany's nursing employer.

Britanny Cartwright had then stuck through the allegations and even expressed her desire to marry Jax on their spin-off Vanderpump Rules: Jax and Brittany Take Kentucky, which premiered in 2017.

Jax denied the allegations at first but then said, "I just kind of fell into a deep hole, and that happens out here sometimes. You get sucked into this lifestyle" in an interview with the US Weekly. Talking of what might have led him down the lane of infamy, Jax said,

"I hate to use [my father’s death] as an excuse to pick myself up, [but] I don’t think I would have done it unless something happened, something traumatic needed to happen in my life."

What built him back up in Brittany's eyes was his persistence. Her consideration of his father's death also might have factored in as she got back with him. This was apparent in her interview with E!, where she said, "He was very persistent and did not give up."

Approximately a year after his cheating scandal, Jax Taylor proposed to Brittany Cartwright, tying the knot in 2019. They welcomed their son, Cruz, in April 2021.

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The Valley is set to premiere on March 19 on Bravo at 9 pm ET. The show will follow Brittany and Jax's lives as they raise their son together. Additionally, viewers can anticipate glimpses of initial cracks in their marriage, which have now led to their separation.