After photos of Jax Taylor appearing cozy with his publicist, Lori Krebs, during a trip to Puerto Vallarta sent “The Valley” fandom into overdrive, one of Brittany Cartwright’s closest friends says the fallout started long before listeners ever hit play on her latest podcast.
On the newest episode of “When Reality Hits,” Brittany’s co-host and longtime friend Zack Wickham alleged that both Jax and Lori reached out behind the scenes after learning the pair would be discussed on the show. The comments came as Brittany continues navigating her public split from Jax and hinted that she plans to publicly share even more about what happened when she’s ready.
Zack Wickham Says Jax and Lori Were Already Reaching Out
The conversation came after Brittany addressed the now-viral photos of Jax and Lori together in Mexico, where the two appeared affectionate while spending time at a resort. The images surfaced just weeks after Brittany confirmed Lori no longer worked for her professionally.
Before Brittany could fully dive into the topic, Zack interrupted with what he described as a message for a couple of very specific listeners.
“There is one thing, though, that I wanted to start off by saying. I wanted to say hi to a few fans that are listening. Hi, Lori. Hi, Jax. Thank you so much for texting people and saying that we need to watch what we say on this podcast because you’ll be listening.”
Zack did not share screenshots or details of the alleged messages, but suggested Jax and Lori had been communicating with people connected to the podcast before the episode aired.
The remarks quickly fueled even more speculation surrounding the increasingly messy split between Brittany and Jax, whose divorce unfolded publicly throughout “The Valley’s” second season. Now, on Season 3, viewers see Brittany navigating being single as Jax was not asked to return to the series.
Brittany Says She’s Ready to Tell ‘the Truth’
While Zack opened the conversation with the allegation, Brittany made it clear she believes her side of the story will eventually be heard.
“All I’m going to say about this at this moment is I will be speaking my truth, the truth, on this matter very soon, whenever I’m ready. As of right now, I am focusing on me and the most important thing in my life, which is my beautiful son.”
Brittany has largely avoided discussing the details of her separation outside of what has aired on Bravo, but her latest comments suggest she intends to reveal more once she feels the time is right.
Zack indicated he isn’t finished, either.
“Then once you say your piece, oh, I can’t wait to say mine.”
Brittany closed the conversation with one final remark aimed at the ongoing drama.
“Those people will never live rent-free in my mind ever again.”
The Fallout Continues After Mexico Photos
The podcast episode arrived days after photos of Jax and Lori together in Puerto Vallarta reignited long-running speculation about their relationship. Brittany has since severed professional ties with Lori, who previously served as her publicist.
Reports have also claimed Brittany had questioned the nature of Jax and Lori’s friendship for some time, though she previously trusted there was nothing inappropriate between them.
Neither Jax nor Lori had publicly responded to Zack’s allegation that they contacted people connected to the podcast before the episode aired as of publication.
New episodes of “The Valley” air Wednesdays on Bravo, with streaming available the following day on Peacock.
