When The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills first aired in 2010, it introduced viewers to six housewives living lavishly in the upscale Los Angeles County: Camille Grammer, Adrienne Maloof, Lisa Vanderpump, sisters Kyle and Kim Richards, and Taylor Armstrong.
Although Kim, Kyle, and Lisa would remain on the show for a number of seasons, (Kyle is the only remianing OG to still be on the show), Camille, Adrienne, and Taylor would depart early on, coming back as guests or friends of the cast.
However, fans found it incredibly saddening to learn about Taylor’s reason for departing the show. Out of all of the Real Housewives, it’s safe to say that she had gone through hell and back.
Editor’s note:
This article contains mention of domestic violence and suicide. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, please visit
findahelpline.com
to connect with resources in your country.
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Why Taylor Armstrong Left The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills
Taylor was an OG cast member of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, but her journey on the show became plagued with serious rumors concerning her and her marriage to husband, Russell Armstrong. In the very-first season, the women learned that Taylor was being physically abused by her husband, and when they confronted her, she denied it. However, following the Season 2 reunion, Taylor revealed that the rumors were true.
Shortly there after, in 2011, Taylor filed for divorce from Russell after 5 years of marriage and cited alleged physical and verbal abuse. Taylor had also detailed having to undergo reconstructive surgery after Russell’s alleged abuse. The same year that Taylor filed for divorce, Russell died by suicide, their daughter, Kennedy, was 5 years old at the time.
Taylor returned to Season 3, and in the first episode, fans watched as the cast members and their husbands, (except for Taylor) gathered at Adrienne’s house to talk about Russell’s death. However, from Seasons 4-6, Taylor made sporadic appearances as a guest.
Speaking to Bravo in 2022, the reality star shared that it was best that she left reality TV for the sake of her young daughter as people hounded her with questions regarding the physical abuse she endured and her ex-husband’s death.
“After Season 3 and all that I was going through in my life, I decided I needed to take some time away from L.A. and all of the paparazzi.”
She continued, “It was a little bit frightening for a while ‘cause I couldn’t go anywhere and I had my little girl and I wanted to take her away for a while and not have her exposed to people constantly yelling and asking me questions about what had happened.”
After Russell’s suicide, Taylor wrote a book about the abuse she experienced, titled, Hiding From Reality: My Story of Love, Loss and Finding the Courage Within.
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Taylor Opened Up About Russell’s Death Years Later
In 2019, Taylor shared intimate details about her husband’s death on the podcast, Divorce Sucks! With Laura Wasser. Taylor shared that the day of his death, she was supposed to meet him but when she went into his office, he was not there, which raised concerns.
“I just had this sinking feeling that something terrible had happened.”
“And it had never crossed my mind in the past. He was very narcissistic and not someone you would ever think would take their life. But ultimately, I had found him hanging in the house that he had moved into,” she added.
Speaking to Us Weekly in 2022, Taylor opened up about trying to survive the aftermath of his suicide, especially after it was rumored that Russell was millions of dollars in debt at the time of his death. However, she found the strength to move forward because of their daughter, Kennedy.
“I knew that I had to survive and make it through so that I could take care of [my now-16-year-old daughter Kennedy]. Kennedy was my first and foremost concern and I just day by day is all I can tell you,” she told the outlet. “It was one disasppointment after the other, as things were unfolding. I would just get calls from the attorneys and it was never anything positive.”
Taylor admitted to Us Weekly, that it was her now-husband, John Bluher, who helped her get through with her legal battles after she inherited her ex-husband’s debt, and would help her emotionally. The pair ultimately wed in 2014. “He stood by my side through everything and helped me navigate everything I was going through,” she shared.
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Taylor Joined The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip And Returned To Another Housewives Franchise
Taylor had only made a few appearances as a guest before departing RHOBH for good after Season 6. She took time to heal, becoming an adovocate for domestic violence survivors. After leaving the reality TV show, Taylor moved her and her daughter Kennedy, to Vial, Colorado.
However, Taylor was at a better place in her life and ready to make her reality TV comeback. In 2022, she joined Season 2 of the Bravo spinoff The Real Housewives Ultiamte Girls Trip were she was reunited with her former cast mate Brandi Glanville, along with Tamra Judge, Vicki Gunvalson, Eva Marcille, Dorinda Medley, Phaedra Parks, and Jill Zarin.
That season saw Brandi bringing up Russell’s death during a group dinner, in which she oddly shared how it affected her life. However, Brandi did finally apologize to Taylor about assuming she wrote her book as a way to exploit her husband’s passing.
After Taylor, John, and their daughter moved back to California, she made history when she crossed over to star in another Real Housewives franchise. Taylor joined the ladies of RHOC for its 17th season as a friend of the group.
“The reason I wanted to come back is because my life is so different now. I want people to see there’s life after domestic abuse,” she told In Touch in 2023. “My life’s not perfect, but it’s like a phoenix rising from the ashes. I want survivors to see there is love after, and that you can look to the future as opposed to the past.”
Taylor did not appear in the following season.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
- Release Date
- October 14, 2010
- Seasons
- 12
- Streaming Service(s)
- Peacock
