Season 10 of Vanderpump Rules won’t just follow the aftermath of Katie Maloney and Tom Schwartz’s split. Raquel Leviss and James Kennedy also called it quits in between seasons and aren’t holding back about what happened during their five-year relationship.
In the February 2023 premiere, the DJ and Lala Kent drop a bombshell that they hooked up during the early stages of his relationship with Raquel Leviss and her romance with now-ex Randall Emmett.
“James and I — when we were both very new in our relationships — definitely hooked up,” Lala said. “We went to Chicago [in 2016] and we started drinking before we got on the plane. That’s why he said I do handstands before — I do handstands.”
James, who admitted that he was “nervous” to own up to what happened after years of downplaying things, noted that “a lot of guys make mistakes.”
“Half of Lala wanted it to happen too so let’s not dilly dally,” he said in a confessional. “She probably had big f—king plans on getting that fat f—king rock on her finger — which she did. So, she probably wanted to seal the deal with J.K. before that. Who wouldn’t?”
The “Topman” musician went on to get serious with Raquel Leviss, proposing in May 2021. They called off their engagement that December and he started dating now-girlfriend Ally Lewber six weeks later.
“James loves a thin-lipped bitch. First Raquel Leviss and now Ally,” Lala quipped on the show. “Even I was a thin-lipped bitch back when we started banging.”
Having a new girlfriend wasn’t the only change Jame made following his broken engagement.
“After two and a half years of not a single drop, I decided to drink again. Have a couple of drinks. After Raquel Leviss left, I thought [about how] I was getting married and all that I did to better myself was still clearly not enough,” he explained on the premiere. “And frankly it was a new year. It was 2022 and what am I doing? I am James Kennedy. Let me live.”
He added that if he was going to “quit again,” it would be “for me and not an ultimatum in a relationship.”
Raquel Leviss, for her part, has been linked to several men in the series post-James. In addition to casually dating Peter Madrigal — whom she referred to as a “man” and not a “manchild” like James — she made out with Tom and SUR employee Oliver Saunders (son of Garcelle Beauvais) during the production of season 10.
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Vanderpump Rules airs on Wednesday Bravo at 9 p.m. ET. Scroll through for more from Raquel Leviss and James:
Everything Raquel Leviss and James Kennedy Have Said About Their Split, the Aftermath on ‘Vanderpump Rules Season 10
Season 10 of Vanderpump Rules won’t just follow the aftermath of Katie Maloney and Tom Schwartz’s split. Raquel Leviss and James Kennedy also called it quits in between seasons and aren’t holding back about what happened during their five-year relationship.
In the February 2023 premiere, the DJ and Lala Kent drop a bombshell that they hooked up during the early stages of his relationship with Raquel Leviss and her romance with now-ex Randall Emmett.
“James and I — when we were both very new in our relationships — definitely hooked up,” Lala said. “We went to Chicago [in 2016] and we started drinking before we got on the plane. That’s why he said I do handstands before — I do handstands.”
James, who admitted that he was “nervous” to own up to what happened after years of downplaying things, noted that “a lot of guys make mistakes.”
“Half of Lala wanted it to happen too so let’s not dilly dally,” he said in a confessional. “She probably had big f—king plans on getting that fat f—king rock on her finger — which she did. So, she probably wanted to seal the deal with J.K. before that. Who wouldn’t?”
The “Topman” musician went on to get serious with Raquel Leviss, proposing in May 2021. They called off their engagement that December and he started dating now-girlfriend Ally Lewber six weeks later.
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“James loves a thin-lipped bitch. First Raquel Leviss and now Ally,” Lala quipped on the show. “Even I was a thin-lipped bitch back when we started banging.”
Having a new girlfriend wasn’t the only change Jame made following his broken engagement.
“After two and a half years of not a single drop, I decided to drink again. Have a couple of drinks. After Raquel Leviss left, I thought [about how] I was getting married and all that I did to better myself was still clearly not enough,” he explained on the premiere. “And frankly it was a new year. It was 2022 and what am I doing? I am James Kennedy. Let me live.”
He added that if he was going to “quit again,” it would be “for me and not an ultimatum in a relationship.”
Raquel Leviss, for her part, has been linked to several men in the series post-James. In addition to casually dating Peter Madrigal — whom she referred to as a “man” and not a “manchild” like James — she made out with Tom and SUR employee Oliver Saunders (son of Garcelle Beauvais) during the production of season 10.
Vanderpump Rules airs on Wednesday Bravo at 9 p.m. ET. Scroll through for more from Raquel Leviss and James:
James Has ‘Mommy Issues
Raquel Leviss revealed in the season 10 premiere that they went months without speaking until a brief interaction at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in March 2022.
“I went over to say hello, and he introduced me to Ally. And then I ran away,” she recalled. “I don’t know anything about James’s new girlfriend, except for the fact that she looks exactly like his mom. He’s got some real mommy issues.”
Working Together, Feeling ‘Replaced’ by Ally
The former pageant queen said that she was “a little” nervous to work at SUR alongside James. During the season 10 premiere, they had an awkward run-in by the bathroom.
“You have a new girlfriend and I’m wishing you guys the best,” she said after admitting she was tipsy.
After James called Ally the love of his life, Raquel Leviss fired back: “The love of your life? I mean, that’s what you said about me.”
“Things changed,” he concluded.
In a confessional, Raquel Leviss explained: “James was my best friend, and he found my replacement within three weeks. Like, companies replacing secretaries take longer than three weeks. I have no judgment toward Ally whatsoever. She’s a very sweet girl and James is very charismatic.”
Raquel Leviss Struggled With Her Self-Esteem During James’ Relationship
While Raquel Leviss noted on a February 2023 episode that “there are so many things to love” about James, she worried about Ally.
“I just hope she doesn’t suffer from low self-esteem as I did,” she said. “Some of the stuff that I tolerated I think back, and I am like, ‘What the f—k was I thinking?’ … I gave up my own emotional needs to make sure that James’ needs were always met. It’s not like I cured him [because] he still has his temper and his outbursts. I think Ally is going to be in for a rude awakening.”
Did James ‘Even Love’ Raquel Leviss?
“I was hurt when I found out that you two were dating seriously so soon after our breakup. I was contemplating did James even love me because how could he move on so soon,” Raquel Leviss told Ally in the season 10 premiere. “But at the same time, there were moments where I felt like I had to monitor what I said so that he wasn’t upset.”
Raquel Leviss Faces the Next Chapter of Her Life
“It’s hard,” Raquel Leviss told Peter Madrigal about dealing with a “deep depression” in a February 2023 episode. “I’m just trying to figure out my life. I just want to be single and live my life.”
She continued: “Breaking free from this relationship scares me. Everyone seems to have their life figured out. And I just don’t know what’s happening.”
Did James and Raquel Leviss Get Closure?
During a February 2023 episode, James quipped that he missed his dog more than he missed Raquel Leviss after they called it quits. The beauty pageant queen, for her part, questioned James’ infidelity, saying, “I have been so loyal to you our entire relationship. Our entire relationship was built on a foundation of lies. You weren’t honest.”
James Takes a Dig at Raquel Leviss
“It pisses me off and I don’t like it,” the U.K. native told his girlfriend after finding out about Ally’s chat with his ex. “Raquel Leviss does not understand that it is not OK to go up to my girlfriend and talk all this s—t and try to warn you. I’m going to go up to her new boyfriend and warn him, ‘Great girl, very sweet but she doesn’t suck d–k very much. So just know that. Or at all.'”
James’ Mom Throws Major Shade at Raquel Leviss
During a March 2023 episode, James’ mother threw shade at his ex-fiancée while speaking to his current girlfriend, Ally Lewber. “But you met organically — which is another thing that I love. A family member didn’t drag you to Pump to go meet a DJ. That to me is not organic,” she said as the professional DJ pulled a funny face on the screen.
Relationship What Caused Their Split
“After how he exploded at my dad at Thanksgiving and how he was so enraged on the car to ride back home to the hotel,” Raquel Leviss revealed in a March 2023 episode. “He was saying my dad was only with my mom because he’s miserable and he’s pathetic and my mom’s a bitch.”
She continued: “He couldn’t stop himself from saying low blows like my dad is just miserable because he is married to a fat bitch and my dad isn’t even a good dad. In that car ride, I told him he needs to shut up otherwise I am going to kick him out and he is going to be stranded in the middle of the desert.”
Relationship Edging Him Out
During a March 2023 episode, James wasn’t thrilled when his friends left him out of events in favor of Raquel Leviss.
“Raquel Leviss is not only f—king up what I have going on, but she is f—king up everyone’s relationships,” he explained. “She is trying to make out with[ [Tom] Schwartz and Katie Maloney isn’t happy about that. She and Lala Kent in Vegas were toxic as f—k and because she is ‘perfect’ there are no consequences to her actions.”
Weighing In on Schwartz and Raquel Leviss
“Like honestly what the f—k is that? Why are you flirting with Raquel Leviss right in front of me? You look f—king absurd mate. You look desperate and absurd,” the U.K. native said in a March 2023 episode about his costar’s bond with Raquel Leviss. “Go hit the treadmill you freaking fat f—k.”
