Mr Viral
It was a juxtaposition that felt cinematic to Vanderpump Rules fans. Kristen Doute—the show’s iconic yet at times controversial former star—announced her pregnancy mere hours before news broke that Bravo would be replacing the entire cast for its twelfth season.
VPR fans went positively feral over the way the two announcements aligned, with many crowing that Doute either masterminded the whole thing or had, essentially, become the Surver to rule them all, playing the show’s Game of Thrones-like politics to come out on top.
But Doute, 41, says she doesn’t see it that way. She had no idea what was coming when she announced—via a People exclusive, natch—that she and fiance Luke Broderick are expecting their first child.
“It was a complete coincidence,” she tells Glamour.
It’s been a long and winding road for Doute ever since the show premiered in 2013, back when she was still an aspiring actor and model. Doute soon became one of the show’s stars and main driver of plot lines, from her bid to prove her ex, Tom Sandoval, was a cheater, to her precarious employment at SUR, and off and on friendships with co-stars Stassi Schroeder and Katie Maloney. After her contract for VPR was not renewed in June 2020 after she received criticism for calling a police tip line on a Black coworker, Doute spent a year or two away from television. She returned for an episode of VPR in season 10 following Scandoval, then returned to Bravo full-time in March on the spin-off show, The Valley. The series, which also features Broderick, will return for season two sometime next year.
After it was announced that Bravo would be recasting VPR entirely, many fans began to share memories of the past decade of the show. For Doute, the news was “bittersweet.”
“So much of my adult life has been centered around VPR, and it truly feels like an end to an era,” she said. “I’m curious to see who they bring in, and where they take the show from here, but I’m grateful for the experience.”
Glamour chatted with Doute about what she thinks are the most iconic moments from the show, which Valley co-stars helped with her gender reveal, and her advice for the new SURvers.
Doute and Broderick.
Gilbert Flores/Getty Images
Glamour: Congratulations on the pregnancy! How has your journey been so far?
Kristen Doute: First time pregnancy comes with its own surprises and obstacles, but I feel so lucky and so excited to be a mom!
Are you planning on finding out the sex?
We already know the sex. Of course, I couldn’t wait to find out. I love to plan and cannot wait to start on the nursery. I had my doctor tell Brittany, and then she and Zack revealed it to us.
Have you started nesting yet? Any decisions on nursery themes?
I am now a nester above all else. My Pinterest boards are coming to life with every throw pillow. The nursery is going to be neutral, a little boho, with pops of the accent colors we’ve picked.
Do you have a name?
We’ve had our baby name chosen, and it just feels right.
You also got engaged since we last saw you on The Valley. Any wedding planning yet?
We are not touching wedding planning at the moment. After the baby is born, we will have more time to focus on the wedding. That’s been our plan from the beginning.
Have you seen the online chatter about the fact that you announced your pregnancy on the same day Bravo announced the recast of VPR? Many people are celebrating it as you “winning.” Do you feel that way?
I had a few friends who sent me some memes, but I definitely don’t view VPR being rebooted as “winning” anything. I’m trying to be present and enjoy every moment of being pregnant and starting this new chapter of my life with Luke.
How do you feel about your time on the show now that the era you were a part of is ending?
It really is bittersweet. There’s so much that I’m grateful for, and there’s so much that has served as such a learning experience for me from being on that show. While I closed that door a while ago, I’m happy that I still have such a good relationship with Bravo and all of my old producers, and that I’m still able to have the platform that I have with The Valley so viewers can see how much I’ve grown and changed since VPR.
A lot of fans were sharing their favorite/most iconic scenes or moments from the show, and many of them involved you, naturally. What VPR moment do you think you are most known for?
S*ck a D*ck, Miami Girl, and healing with Ariana on the last season.
Have you connected with your former castmates since the announcement?
Of course! I think people forget that we are actually friends in real life.
Finally, what’s your best advice for the new SUR-vers headed to VPR?
The only thing I have to say to the new Survers is that you wouldn’t last an hour in the asylum where they raised me.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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