Billie Lee defended her friendship with “Vanderpump Rules” villain Tom Sandoval, saying his ex-girlfriend Ariana Madix — on whom he cheated — isn’t the only one “hurting.”
After fans blasted Lee for cozying up to Sandoval amid the fallout of his affair with co-star Raquel Leviss, she took to Instagram to explain her stance.
“Tom and Ariana are my family, they have been there for me over the years and I wouldn’t be where I’m am today without them,” the “Pump Rules” alum, 39, penned in a post on Tuesday, making sure to deactivate the comments.
“It saddens me that people are so fixated on picking a side. Both are human and are both hurting in their own ways.”
The former SUR server went on to argue that she is “allowed to be friends with one of [her] best friends who made a mistake while still holding him accountable and not commending what he did,” adding that any other approach is “extremely immature.”
“There is a world where you can support and be there for both parties,” she continued, “and that’s the world I choose to live in.”
Lee concluded, “Ariana seems to be in a way better place, I’m so happy that she is moving on and Tom is really working hard on himself. I’ll continue to love and support them, unconditionally.”
Despite her public allegiance to “both parties,” Madix, 37, has unfollowed — and maybe even blocked — Lee on the social media platform in recent days.
As it so happens, the ex-Bravolebrity was photographed attending an event with Sandoval, 40, in West Hollywood on Friday for a hangout deemed controversial by many, including Kristen Doute, who previously dated the bar owner.
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