Jax Taylor's Shocking Exit Leaves 'The Valley' Cast 'Absolutely Blindsided,' Source Reveals: 'A Huge Surprise'

The cast of The Valley found themselves reeling after news broke of Jax Taylor's unexpected departure from the show. According to a source who spoke to a news outlet, the news caught everyone off guard.

On July 16, Taylor, 46, announced he would be "stepping away from the next season of The Valley to prioritize his sobriety.

The insider revealed that the other cast members were "absolutely blindsided" and received no advance warning about his exit.

"Most of the cast were notified that filming was going to begin at the end of the summer," said the source. "They expected Jax would be a part of the new season because — even as late as yesterday — he hadn't said otherwise. This is a huge surprise."

While Bravo has yet to comment on Taylor's decision, he explained in his statement that stepping back comes after "an incredibly challenging year" and "many honest conversations with my team and producers."

Taylor has been open about his struggles, having entered an in-patient facility for mental health and addiction issues last August.

This came just six months after he announced his separation from fellow castmate Brittany Cartwright, with whom he shares four-year-old son Cruz. While Taylor was seeking help, Cartwright, 36, filed for divorce.

During a March podcast appearance, Taylor candidly discussed his long-standing battle with cocaine addiction.

"I've been dealing with this on and off since I was 23 and now I'm 45," he shared. "There were times I'd stop, but then I'd go heavy on it. I've never said this in my life… so to come out and say that I have an addiction is a really big deal for me."

In April, Cartwright revealed that she had grown tired of Taylor's substance abuse issues leading up to their separation. Things became so dire, she said, that she "had to take Cruz out of the house."

Meanwhile, in a confessional from a June 17 episode, Taylor reflected on the devastating nature of receiving divorce papers immediately following his return to the real world.

"Imagine coming out of a facility, dealing with your mental health issues and then being slammed with divorce papers," he said. "It's hard. We're both so hurt. We both hurt each other so much in the last couple of years. We don't have anything left."

Taylor isn't the only one affected by the drama, as The Valley also stars Kristen Doute, Luke Broderick, Jesse Lally, Michelle Saniei, Daniel Booko, Nia Sanchez, Jasmine Goode, Zack Wickham and Janet and Jason Caperna.