The Pump has left the building. That is, Lisa Vanderpump left The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Following rumors that restauranteur and pet accessory/skincare entrepreneur wouldn’t be returning to RHOB, and an ultimate confirmation from Vanderpump herself, it looks like the departure is Instagram official. Vanderpump posted a dramatic and very on-brand goodbye video Tuesday night, thanking the show’s viewers for their support.
“The Pump has left the building,” she wrote. “Thank you to all of you for your support for 9 years.”
Along with Kyle Richards, Vanderpump was one of the two original cast members left on the show after nine seasons. Of course, Vanderpump’s final season wasn’t without drama. It’s suspected that Vanderpump leaving might have something to do with “Puppygate,” the epic saga that began when fellow Real Housewife Dorit Kemsley adopted a dog from Vanderpump’s rescue center, only to return the dog to a different rescue center.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
On a more serious note, it’s been a rough year for Vanderpump. She lost her brother three months before season nine filming began and, more recently, her mother passed away. She stopped filming with the rest of the cast about halfway through the most recent season. “I just had a horrible time with the show and the women,” Vanderpump told Extra after confirming she was leaving. “It was a very sad time in my life and it wasn’t made any better.”
Many loyal RHOBH viewers were devastated by the news if Vanderpump’s Instagram comments are any indication. But she’ll still stick around on her spinoff, Vanderpump Rules — and she wants her fans to know she’s onto better things. “I hope that after this awful year I can start life again,” she wrote on Twitter.
I didn’t watch obviously,but the army at my house looking after my furry people did, and I heard from all of you about the nastiness once again.
— Lisa Vanderpump (@LisaVanderpump) July 10, 2019
I am in London for my mother’s funeral, I hope that after this awful year I can start life again.#RHOBH #9yrs
Love Lisa Ken & Giggy pic.twitter.com/qwY8eoe9n8