Tamra Judge revealed the real reason Liz McGraw left The Real Housewives of Rhode Island after just one season.
The “Real Housewives of Orange County” star told Page Six’s “Virtual Reali-Tea” that she was not happy about McGraw’s sudden exit from the series.
“I don’t like it at all. I think she brought a lot to (the show),” said the 58-year-old judge. “I talked to her in the offseason and she was really struggling with the hate on social media.”
Judge, who has received considerable backlash over the years, added, “People need to calm down. This is television, this is entertainment. There’s no need to defend kids and their businesses, write bad reviews on Yelp, or send death threats.”
McGraw, 56, announced earlier this month that she had “decided to take a step back” from “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” to focus on her “family,” “work” and “passions.”
“The RHORI cast is an incredible group of women who have created something special,” she wrote in an Instagram post. “We will be watching next season and rooting for the continued success of this franchise.”
Legal issues surrounding McGraw’s best friend Dino Guilmette, who is currently facing eight drug-related charges stemming from his arrest in March 2022, have led to further speculation about her sudden exit from the series.
However, McGraw denied the rumors, claiming that his decision to leave the show was a result of his connection to Guilmette.
“It’s so interesting to me that people think my reason for leaving is because of fear of ‘skeleton’…’jail’ etc,” she wrote on her Instagram Story hours after announcing her departure.
She continued, “This is not new gossip…I’ve been vilified locally for years. If there was any validity to it, I wouldn’t have been on the show! I’m sure some people feel good about speculating, hating, and slandering my character, but I’ve never been investigated or involved in any criminal case. It’s ridiculous, and people need to understand how ridiculous it is.”
“The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” has been renewed for season two just weeks after its debut season premiered. The show, which is scheduled to film its second season this summer, also stars Jo-Ellen Tiberi, Bachelor alum Ashley Iaconetti, Rosie DiMare, Lula Neeme Pontarelli, Alicia Carmody and Kelsey Swanson.
The first season of “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” is currently streaming on Peacock.
