Rachel Zoe is finally returning to reality television more than a decade after her Bravo series “The Rachel Zoe Project” ended. The celebrity stylist will appear on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” season 15, promising fans an honest look at her life and how she’s navigating her separation from Rodger Berman.
Inside Rachel & Rodger’s Shocking Split
Ten months after announcing their separation, Rachel filed to divorce her estranged husband Rodger after 26 years of marriage.
GettyThe pair first announced their separation on September 9, 2024 via a joint statement that Rachel shared on her Instagram.
“After 33 years together and 26 years married, Rodger and I have come to the mutual decision to end out marriage,” their statement began. “We are incredibly proud of the loving family we have created and our countless memories together.”
The statement goes on to show how they intend to remain a united front for their two sons. “Our number one priority has been and will always be our children. We are committed to co-parent our boys and to continue to work together within the many businesses we share.”
Aside from starring with Rachel in her reality show, Rodger is an active partner in her many fashion ventures. As co-CEO of Rachel Zoe Inc., he worked with her on projects such as Box of Style and Curateur.
Rachel and Rodger first met in 1991 as college students attending George Washington University, according to Us Weekly. In March 2011, they welcomed their son Skylar, and in 2013, Rachel gave birth to their second son, Kaius.
Though Rodger rarely posted on social media, he shared a selfie of the two on his Instagram for their anniversary on February 15, 2021.
“23 years of marriage, 2 kids, 1 global pandemic later … and I couldn’t love you more,” Rodger wrote in the caption of his post. “Happy anniversary to the love of my life.”
Rachel cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the separation and said that the couple’s relationship ended on June 27, 2024, more than a year before she filed. Zoe asked to share joint legal and physical custody of their sons Skyler and Kaius, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE.
“This divorce was a long time coming. There is no scandal or smoking gun, it’s more death by a thousand cuts,” a source told Us Weekly in September 2024.
‘RHOBH’ Welcomes Rachel as a New Cast Member
“I feel different on every level,” Rachel said in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE. “I’m very honest about where I am and what I’m dealing with on [RHOBH]. I think my goal is really to share the reality of my life. And everyone’s going through stuff, right?”
“I’m really trying to help as many women as possible,” Rachel continued. “I mean, probably at least 30% of the women in my life are going through a separation or a divorce. The question I kept getting asked and still get asked is: ‘Why am I so okay coming out of a relationship that really transcended my entire adult life?’ It’s because I’m independent — financially, professionally and socially. I think that there isn’t enough emphasis put on the importance of that.”
Rachel told PEOPLE that having her “own things to wake up for every day” made the “decision to leave” easier. “No matter what life throws at you, you have to be able to stand up on your own. You just have to.”
She explained that her sons were a reason why she decided to step away from reality TV. “I was being chased down alleyways by paparazzi with baby strollers, or holding my kids in my arms and physically running from paps,” Rachel admitted, which made her realize she didn’t want this life for them.
Prior to signing on for the newest season of “RHOBH,” Rachel called a family meeting with her boys.
Getty“I wouldn’t have agreed to do the show without my kids,” she said.
Her sons were actually the ones who encouraged her to join the show. “I told them I’d be talking pretty openly and honestly about things. They were like, ‘Mom, it’s your truth. You should speak freely and honestly. Don’t hide things from us.'”
Rachel promises that the season will feature her being very honest about her split and how they became different people over time.
“I was done. I was really done,” she said. “I don’t suffer from guilt of not having given it everything I could have. I don’t suffer from that, and I don’t suffer from feeling like it was a failed marriage. Having been married for 26 years, I would say that three-quarters of that was amazing.”
But she “ultimately did what’s best for the kids.”
“I think that having two parents that love them is more important than having two parents together that maybe shouldn’t be together anymore,” Rachel concluded.
