Last week, rumors started circulating that although Taylor Armstrong would return for season three of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Bravo was looking to phase her out during the season. Now a source at RadarOnline.com says that part of the reason they don’t want her on the show is her drinking problem.
“Taylor has been relying on alcohol to cope with the suicide of her husband, Russell, and the stress of raising a child as a single mother,” the source said.
Viewers got some insight into what may be Taylor’s drinking problem last season. On a ski trip to Camille Grammer’s Aspen home, Taylor got so emotional and intoxicated she tried to pack herself in a suit case. In another instance, Taylor tried to drunkenly attack another party-goer at Brandi Glanville’s Malibu party.
“And that was before Russell killed himself,” the source went on to say. “The fellow housewives feel that Taylor needs to go to rehab to learn how to cope with the pressures of life without alcohol or any other substances. Taylor is in denial that she has a problem with booze. One of the reasons why is because she is a paid spokesperson for Ciroc vodka. She earns about $100 thousand a year from that endorsement deal, and she is afraid that if she goes to rehab, they will drop her.”
RHOBH is unfortunately not a stranger to the perils of mixing cocktails and reality TV. Taylor’s co-star Kim Richards went to rehab for alcohol addiction late last year, and continues to struggle with sobriety. However, her initiative to get healthy will be filmed when she returns for the upcoming season.
“When she spoke with the higher ups the didn’t deny that she would be featured on the show in a much more limited capacity with a much smaller role,” another source said to RadarOnline. “Taylor now knows that her days on the show are numbered. She is extremely upset because she just signed a contract extension for season three, but she wasn’t made aware of Bravo’s plans for her. She absolutely freaked out because she counts on the show as her primary source of income and uses it as a platform to secure other endorsement deals.”
Maybe if Taylor follows in the footsteps of her co-star Kim and decides to get healthy, her future at Bravo can be extended.
Gina Pusateri
Contributing Writer
(Image courtesy of Bravo)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
