As he’s not in season three, here’s the real reason Eric was banned from Vanderpump Villa

With Vanderpump Villa season three officially dropping today on Hulu, loads of people are wondering what happened to Eric Funderwhite, so here’s why he was banned from the show.

Eric was a major part of season one

Throwing it back to the very first season, Eric was brought in as the chateau manager, working under Lisa Vanderpump at the luxury French estate. He featured quite heavily throughout the series, with his role centred around managing the villa and keeping things running smoothly.

Like a lot of reality TV roles, there were already questions about how “real” the job actually was off-camera. But still, he was a key part of the cast and had loads of screen time.

But when the season one reunion was filmed in April 2024 in Los Angeles, Eric wasn’t there. According to The U.S. Sun, Eric was actually disinvited from attending. A source said, “Eric was disinvited from the Vanderpump Villa reunion taping because of his TRO (temporary restraining order).”

The insider added, “Producers were furious over the shocking news, so they banned him.”

But why was he banned?

Eric was banned due to allegations involving a past relationship, which only became public after filming had already wrapped. As per The U.S. Sun, Eric’s ex filed for a temporary restraining order against him on November 13, 2020.

The order was granted and remained in place until December 28, 2020, when it was dismissed. But the details included in the filing were seriously concerning.

In court documents obtained by the publication, his ex alleged that Eric “physically assaulted” her, gave her black eyes, became “even more aggressive” during the relationship, and “continued to psychologically and verbally abuse” her. She said the situation was “detrimental to my mental health.”

And in one particularly shocking claim, she alleged that on her birthday in 2020, he “spat” in her face. Photos included in the documents reportedly showed visible injuries.

Further reporting also suggested the relationship lasted from 2017 to 2022, with multiple alleged incidents during that time. According to the supplemental materials included in the restraining order documents, as reported by The U.S. Sun, Eric’s ex included emails and text message exchanges which she claimed were between her and Eric’s sister.

In those alleged messages, Eric’s sister appeared to express concern about her brother’s behaviour. She reportedly described Eric in very harsh terms, saying he “acts like a child brat who believes he deserves everything and does not know how to thank [anyone]. Believes that we are all his puppets.” She also allegedly claimed he “steps” on her like she’s his carpet, and “says horrible, disgusting things” to her.

The sister reportedly encouraged Eric’s ex to suggest he seek professional help, mentioning therapy or counselling, and urged her to “stay positive” and reach out for support if needed.

Lisa Vanderpump actually addressed the situation

After the allegations came to light, Lisa Vanderpump addressed Eric’s absence. Speaking via US Magazine, she explained, “Long after leaving the Château, we learned along with the rest of the world about an allegation from Eric’s past.”

She added, “While that allegation was dismissed in short order and no further action taken, we thought it best that Eric not be here today.”

So, even though the legal case didn’t continue, the situation was serious enough for producers to act.

Has Eric responded to the claims?

Despite all that, Eric himself never publicly commented on the allegations. Reports state that he was contacted for comment at the time, but he did not respond.

On the show, he only mentioned that he was newly divorced, without going into detail about past relationships. Records show he was married from September 2019 to November 2022, with the divorce finalised in February 2023, just before filming began.

At the time, it was already being suggested that Eric wouldn’t be coming back. A source said, “If there’s a second season, he most likely won’t be returning.”

And now, with season three out, that’s clearly the case. He hasn’t appeared in any seasons since, and there’s been no sign of him in the franchise again.

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