Katie Maloney Defends Calling ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Season 10 ‘So Good’ Amid Scandoval, Recalls Having a ‘Traumatic’ Time

Standing by her words. Katie Maloney addressed Vanderpump Rules viewers who took issue with her promoting season 10 in the wake of Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss' cheating scandal.

After Bravo released the midseason trailer on Monday, March 20, the official Instagram for the network shared clips of Katie, 36, and Scheana Shay discussing the sneak peek.

"How many times have you watched the #PumpRules Mid-Season trailer??" the social media account captioned the post, which included the costars calling the upcoming episodes "so good."

In response, a fan took to the comments section to call Katie out, writing, "'The rest of the season is so good?' @musickillskate seeing your friend go through something traumatic is good..? ..Entertaining? Sad."

The "You're Gonna Love Me" podcast host had some choice words for the troll. "If anyone had a traumatic 'rest of the season' it’s me. You have to remember the scandoval stuff just happened. Our season filmed over the summer. But I can objectively say it’s a great season," Katie replied.

Before the cast started filming season 10 during summer 2022, Katie and Tom Schwartz announced their split after more than a decade together. As cameras started rolling, Us Weekly confirmed that the bar owner, 40, hooked up with Raquel, 38, at Scheana, 37, and Brock Davies' wedding in August 2022, upsetting Katie as she asked her ex-husband not to date within their friend group.

In new footage from season 10, viewers got a glimpse at Ariana Madix and Sandoval's first conversation after news broke of his affair with Raquel earlier this month. During a tense conversation, Ariana, 37, told her ex-boyfriend, 40, that she wanted him "to die" shortly after they called it quits following nine years of dating.

After Us confirmed details of the scandal earlier this month, an insider revealed that Bravo has filmed more content amid the controversy.

"The cameras haven't stopped rolling since Wednesday night. It's not an understatement to say this will be the most explosive season of Vanderpump Rules ever," a source exclusively told Us following the TomTom co-owner and Ariana's breakup.

Katie, for her part, said she wasn't surprised by the affair.“I wasn’t shocked, but the details were shocking,” the Utah native said on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen on Wednesday, March 15. “I wasn’t shocked that it was Raquel.”

That same day, Katie slammed Raquel for her romance with Sandoval. “You deserve ... what’s coming to you right now," she said on Wednesday's episode of the "Give Them Lala" podcast before addressing her own issues with the California native from season 10. “I gave you every opportunity. I was so kind to you when I didn’t have to be, but I was. The fact that you didn’t really step [up] or appreciate that or recognize that and you walked all over that and took a giant dump on it, you’re an idiot.”

The beauty pageant contestant, for her part, issued a public apology to Ariana. "I want to apologize for my actions and my choices foremost to Ariana, and to my friends and the fans so invested in our relationships. There is no excuse, I am not a victim and I must own my actions and I deeply regret hurting Ariana," she wrote via Instagram on March 8.

After taking a brief social media break, Ariana broke her silence on Thursday, March 16, writing via Instagram, "Hi. where to begin? i want to express my most sincere gratitude for the outpouring of love and support i have received from friends, family, and people i’ve never even met in the last two weeks. When i have felt like i couldn’t even stand, you all have given me the strength to continue and seen me through my darkest hours. to say i have been devastated and broken is an understatement. however, i know that i am not in this alone."

The Florida native continued: "So many of my closest friends are also grieving this loss right now and reeling from this betrayal on so many levels. i am so f—king lucky to have the best support system in the world and i hope i can repay every single person for the love you have shown me. what doesn’t kill me better run. love, ariana."

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Vanderpump Rules airs on Bravo Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET.