Southern Appeal’s Craig Conover teased that followers would possibly see a season 9 romance scandal just like Vanderpump Guidelines’ Scandoval — however insisted it wasn’t deliberate.
“We’ve got a fairly loopy season on Southern Appeal,” Craig, 34, stated in the course of the Wednesday, August 16, episode of the “It’s Difficult” podcast on Bleav. “I used to be like, everybody goes to assume we copied Vanderpump, however we … didn’t.”
Craig vowed that Southern Appeal’s drama was “already occurring” when information broke in March that Pump Guidelines costars Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss had been having an affair amid his long-term relationship with Ariana Madix — drama that was featured closely on season 10 of Vanderpump Guidelines.
“We share some producers,” Craig stated on Wednesday of the 2 Bravo exhibits, once more promising the Charleston-based present’s story strains weren’t pulled from Pump Guidelines. “This yr, you have got that to stay up for with Southern Appeal, we navigate some actually bizarre water.”
He added that Southern Appeal will function plenty of Shep Rose after his July 2022 break up from Taylor Ann Inexperienced raised eyebrows amongst viewers. (The exes dated for 2 years earlier than parting methods.)
“Shep, you’ll see him be able he hasn’t been in earlier than. You may see the wrestle with opening up,” Craig revealed.
Whereas Craig didn’t give away too many particulars, he seemed to be tip-toeing across the alleged hookup between Taylor, 28, and fellow Southern Appeal castmate Austen Kroll, who’s a longtime buddy of Shep, 43. To make the rumored fling much more dramatic, Taylor is shut friends with Austen’s most up-to-date ex-girlfriend, Olivia Flowers, whom he break up from in fall 2022.
Taylor Ann Inexperienced, Shep Rose and Austen Kroll. Gregory Tempo/Shutterstock; Santiago Felipe/Getty Photographs
Austen, for his half, solely informed Us in October 2022 that he would by no means date Taylor due to his relationship with Shep. “I imply — bro code. … If we’re being sincere, that actually does cross plenty of strains,” Austen, 36, stated on the time. “I really like Taylor to items and I cherish her friendship and we’ve gotten very shut. … I simply assume that that may be crossing an entire bunch of strains. … And a bunch of friendships would actually be affected by that.”
Nonetheless, when the Southern Appeal season 9 trailer dropped earlier this month, it appeared that Austen and Taylor did cross a line — a minimum of, in accordance with him. “One thing occurred with me and Taylor,” Austen claimed within the teaser.
Taylor, in the meantime, denied any form of romance when Olivia, 31, requested her level clean, “Did y’all ever hook up?” Taylor shortly replied, “By no means. Swear on my life.”
Craig hinted that the love sq. isn’t going to be the one drama viewers will see on season 9. “Sure, we combat so much as a result of we’re all loopy. We’re extremely opinionated individuals,” he stated, including that what the cameras don’t seize is the “superior bonding” that takes place between the solid.
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Southern Appeal season 9 premieres on Bravo Thursday, September 14, at 9 p.m. ET.
