Brittany Cartwright is sharing new details about how she first learned the rumors linking her estranged husband, Jax Taylor, to longtime publicist Lori K years before photos of the pair made headlines.
In an exclusive interview with People, “The Valley” star revealed that it wasn’t social media speculation or paparazzi photos that first raised red flags. Instead, she said the information came directly from one of her closest friends, a former “Summer House” cast member: Stephen McGee.
According to Cartwright, the conversation happened while Lori K was still married and before she had filed for divorce from Taylor.
A Former ‘Summer House’ Star Says Jax Taylor Confided in Him
Cartwright said former “Summer House” cast member Stephen McGee was spending time with Taylor when the reality star allegedly made a surprising admission.
“Stephen McGee, who was on ‘Summer House,’ he is one of my dearest friends and close with all of us, much closer to me than he was to my ex,” Cartwright told People.
She said McGee later called her and recounted what Taylor had allegedly told him.
“So, him and my ex were out, hanging out one night, and Jax straight up told Stephen McGee that he had slept with Lori,” Cartwright said. “And Stephen McGee, of course, called me and told me what their conversation was like.”
Cartwright said she immediately confronted both Taylor and Lori K about what she had been told.
“I immediately called Lori and my ex, I don’t even want to say his name because he wants the attention, and they both denied everything, said it didn’t happen, that they were just out drinking… and Stephen misheard or was making it up.”
Even after those denials, Cartwright said McGee never changed his account.
“Stephen has never changed his story. He will look you dead in the eye, swear on everything, that Jax told him this.”
Why Brittany Chose to Believe Lori K
Despite her instincts telling her something was wrong, Cartwright said Lori K repeatedly insisted the rumors were false and pleaded with her to reconsider ending their professional relationship.
“So that’s how I found out. I immediately was ready to fire her,” Cartwright said. “I took her immediately out of my bio so that people didn’t try to contact her.”
“The Valley” star recalled Lori K begging her not to make that decision.
“She begged and begged and pleaded for her family. ‘You’re going to ruin my career. I have a family, they need me. You know how much my family needs me. Please please please.'”
Cartwright said those appeals resonated with her, particularly because she is a mother herself.
“Like tugging at my heartstrings, especially as a mother. And she just kept denying, denying, denying.”
She added that several people close to her remained skeptical.
“A lot of my friends, my mother included, never trusted her again. Never believed her again. They thought something had happened because why would she still work with someone who was supposedly tarnishing her name.”
Others in her inner circle initially believed Lori K’s denials.
“Some of my other friends who were close to her through me, like Zack and Kristen, they were kind of believing her because she was also reaching out to them, begging them to persuade me, said it wasn’t true.”
Looking back, Cartwright said she ultimately chose to give Lori K the benefit of the doubt because she tries to see the good in people.
“I’m a very forgiving person and I like to see the best in people,” she said. “That can be a downfall for me as we have seen in my past relationship but it’s also a quality I never want to change about myself.”
She concluded, “I feel like I was taken advantage of by those two individuals completely because of that personality that I have. And I chose to believe her.”
