After a lengthy separation first disclosed in February, former Vanderpump Rules stars Brittany Cartwright and Jax Taylor are officially divorcing.
Brittany and Jax have a storied history with reality TV — they debuted on VPR in 2014 and 2015 respectively, starred in a 2017 spin-off called Jax And Brittany Take Kentucky, and currently appear in yet another spin-off, The Valley.
Brittany and Jax’s relationship had been on the rocks for some time, though the estranged couple indicated that they hoped to overcome their differences as recently as June.
But even then, talk of a reconciliation was fraught with side issues:
“Although their marital issues were filmed months prior, fans of the series were confused about their reconciliation because a few days before he shared that the couple were working things out, he also shared that they were ‘open to seeing other people.’
“Even more scandalous[ly], Taylor made a claim about Cartwright sleeping with someone else.”
In late July, Jax checked into an inpatient treatment facility, but earlier this month, he was rumored to be in a downward spiral due to his marital woes.
A week ago, we reported that Jax was on the verge of completing his treatment and returning home, and their The Valley co-stars made a controversial joke on Instagram about the couple’s tumultuous relationship.
In all, there have been plenty of signals this year about the direction their marriage was heading, and few if any were positive.
Six months after Jax and Brittany announced their separation, Brittany officially filed for divorce.
Citing ‘Irreconcilable Differences,’ Brittany Seeks Full Custody
Brittany and Jax initially disclosed their separation on February 29, during an episode of their shared podcast, When Reality Hits.
Per People, Brittany responded to fans’ questions about the status of their marriage, revealing that they’d started to live separately:
“Many of you guys have been asking me about Jax and [my] and our relationship. I just think it’s important to be real and honest with you guys because our life is definitely — we’ve shared so much of our life with you guys …
” … I know on my last podcast [episode], I alluded to [how] many marriages go through rocky times … 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.”
On August 27, TMZ obtained documents relating to Brittany’s divorce filing, which cited “irreconcilable differences” as the cause for the marital dissolution.
Brittany indicated that she and Jax separated on January 24, and she’s seeking primary custody of the couple’s toddler son, Cruz, along with other stipulations:
“[Brittany] cited ‘irreconcilable differences’ as the reason for their divorce. She is seeking primary legal and physical custody of their 3-year-old son, Cruz, with visitation for Taylor.
“Cartwright does not want the court to award spousal support to either of them.”
News of Brittany and Jax’s divorce came amid filming for Season 2 of The Valley, and viewers anticipate that the lead up to and aftermath of their split will be a major focus when it airs.