Erika Jayne speaks out on her relationship with new boyfriend John McPhee
It turns out she's been interested in him for ages
Erika Jayne’s latest love story had Real Housewives stans doing a double-take.
When photos of her holding hands with John McPhee went viral, many wondered if it was just another whirlwind RHOBH fling.
But in true Erika style, she revealed that she wasn’t just randomly swept off her feet, she knew him long before their first hello!
Let’s delve into everything she’s said about her new romance…
Erika was interested in John McPhee long ago
Before the paparazzi shots and mani-pedi date buzz, Erika was already aware of John McPhee because she’d listened to him on podcasts.
As she shared on her Diamonds in the Rough podcast, “I saw him on a friend of mine’s podcast because I watch everybody’s podcast late at night before I go to bed,” she said. “I thought, ‘Wow, that’s an interesting interview.’ Then, I saw him again on another and I thought, ‘God, that guy’s kind of interesting,’ and I saw him backstage with Heidi in London just randomly.”
That’s right. Erika was basically a low-key fan before any real-life connection happened. And honestly, that feels very Erika Jayne energy.
She’s curious, confident, and not afraid to admit she likes a man’s vibe. John McPhee’s background, a retired US Army Special Operations Sergeant Major turned high-profile security pro, isn’t the typical Beverly Hills boyfriend pick. But Erika’s known for choosing her own lane.
She explained how they eventually met
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So how did the “podcast recognition” turn into dates?
Well, it turns out that the real-life meeting took place in London at a show where both Erika and Heidi Montag were performing.
Erika saw John backstage, and the familiarity clicked. She literally realised it was the guy from the podcast.
At that moment, she did something bold but iconic, Erika… she walked right up to him and introduced herself, obviously.
Her story, as she recounted it, was casual and confident. She said she simply walked up and said hi, told him her name, and let him know she’d heard him on podcasts.
After that initial London interaction, the two didn’t rush into things publicly. Erika later revealed that they went on two dates, including a now-infamous manicure-pedicure outing in Los Angeles that was snapped by paparazzi before she was ready to share the news.
She described that simple date as “really nice,” saying she felt comfortable and genuinely enjoyed the time with him.
Erika admitted what attracted her
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Speaking to Us Weekly, Erika described John as “calm” and “centered,” and said she needs to feel comfortable and peaceful after everything she’s been through.
The RHOBH star has also said there were more attractive traits to John: “I like people who are confident and intelligent. I was married to somebody who was really good at their job for a long time…”
The most telling compliment she keeps repeating is also the simplest. She said he’s a “nice man,” and she feels comfortable with him, comfortable enough to hold his hand in public, even if that turned into a whole thing!
And if you’re wondering where things stand now… Erika told Bravo in December 2025 that everything was going great, she’d been spending the holidays with him, and that they’d been dating for about six months.
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