When it comes to reality TV, the producers often face criticism for various alleged misdeeds, from manipulating narratives to creating unsafe conditions for participants. Many former stars even took legal action against the networks based on accusations of racism, deliberate mistreatment, and favoritism. Within this environment, the “friend of” role in reality TV is often underestimated, who plays a crucial part in supporting the main cast and shaping storylines. One of the examples is Kristina Kelly herself, who exemplified the “friend of” on Vanderpump Rules. Known for her drama-free approach and supportive nature, Kristina surprisingly decided to step away from the show, as she’s no longer interested in filming.
Kristina Kelly reveals why she left Vanderpump Rules(Photo Credit –Instagram)
Kristina joined Vanderpump Rules in the second season as a Friend of the cast. She starred as Friend from seasons 2 to 4 and guest starred in seasons 5-7. Although she left for a brief time, she returned in season 10. However, Kristina made clear why she didn’t want to return to Vanderpump Rules during an appearance on Stassi Schroeder’s podcast.
In the interview, Kristina recalled the season 10 girls’ trip to Las Vegas on Vanderpump Rules. During the trip, Kristina and Katie Maloney were puzzled by Rachel Leviss’ portrayal of them as “mean girls.” They believed their comments about Rachel being competitive with other women over their men and bringing a galaxy light to sleep with were relatively mild. Kristina disclosed that a producer had shown Rachel footage of their remarks to provoke drama and set up a narrative, casting Rachel as a victim who finds the strength to stand up for herself. This manipulation framed Kristina, Lala Kent, and Katie as bullies, highlighting the producer’s role in crafting reality TV storylines.
In the podcast, Stassi expressed that this kind of producer’s behavior is the reason why reality TV “starts to seem fake.” However, as per US Weekly, a source told the outlet that there is no truth to Kristina’s version of events.
