REALITY TVTom Sandoval Claims Raquel Leviss Affair 'Saved His Life' as Scandal Forced Him to Get Sober
On the Thursday, September 28, premiere episode of Tom Sandoval’s new podcast “Everybody Loves Tom,” he revealed that he has changed his habits since his bombshell affair with Vanderpump Rules co-star Raquel Leviss.
“I haven’t drank since — I believe it was April 4th or 5th,” the well-known party boy stated. “I didn’t really tell a lot of people during the process. I think that kind of helps. I also quit smoking cigarettes. I was kind of at the point where I was just chain-smoking cigarettes all day, every day.”
Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss had an affair for seven months.
The reality TV star admitted that his days prior to the scandal often included alcohol and exercise.
“If I wasn’t working out, I was drinking,” he said to his cover band’s drummer, Jason Bader. “If I wasn’t drinking, I was working out.”
Sandoval, 41, said he decided to go sober after his “nerves” were at their highest due to the intense backlash he received after cheating on longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix.
He explained before the incident he would have “three shots, three beers” to subside his anxiety before shows, but he made the choice to go cold turkey in front of the “angry” crowds.
Tom Sandoval was dating Ariana Madix for nine years.
“What really sucked, too, was seeing people like be really mean to the fellow band members,” he noted, adding that female band member, Maddi Fraser, was often “heckled beyond belief.”
The Tom Sandoval and the Most Extras frontman shared that he “had” to go through with their tour despite the haters because many of his upcoming endorsements were canceled in the wake of Scandoval.
Raquel Leviss was previously engaged to co-star James Kennedy.
- Tom Sandoval Claims He 'Fought So Hard' to Hold Onto His Relationship With Raquel Leviss: 'I Was Fully in Love With Her'
- A 'Scandoval' For The Ages! Every Time 'Vanderpump Rules' Costars Tom Sandoval & Raquel Leviss Dropped A Hint About Their Shocking Affair
- Raquel Leviss Claims Tom Schwartz Knew About Her Affair With Tom Sandoval 'Since the Very Beginning'
“Honestly, I think that, you know, quitting the drinking, you know, and going on tour like it might have actually saved my life,” he admitted, while claiming he decided to get sober after Leviss checked herself into a mental health facility.
“I can’t imagine being cooped up because I couldn’t go anywhere at the time, you know, being cooped up in a place, not being able to do anything, just wallowing in misery,” he continued.
Ariana Madix ended her relationship with Tom Sandoval after finding out about the affair.
Sandoval then took time to promote what fans could anticipate in upcoming episodes of the new podcast, saying there’d be everything from “juicy, behind-the-scenes [Pump Rules] stories to discussions about music, fashion, cocktails and so much more.”
As OK! previously reported, Sandoval also recently participated in FOX’s reality series Special Forces: World's Toughest Test, where he worked alongside Bachelorette star Tyler Cameron.
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Cameron recently spilled about how he was under the impression that Sandoval was still very invested in his relationship with Leviss during filming.
"I was shocked. I thought he was going to try and make it work with her," Cameron stated, before noting, "But there's some good story on that you have to watch on the show."
