Heather Gay responds as RHOSLC’s Whitney Rose files for divorce from Justin
She said the filing took her by surprise
Heather Gay has responded after The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City co-star and cousin Whitney Rose filed for divorce from husband Justin Rose after 16 years on Wednesday, October 7th. Us Weekly reported that Whitney filed in Utah and submitted a parenting plan.
Speaking on that day’s Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Heather said she had expected a separation rather than a divorce filing. Heather said: “I was surprised, I really was. I really thought it was a chapter of estrangement but I was surprised.”
She went on to express sympathy for Whitney, particularly as the family deals with the separation in public. “Divorce is very, very difficult. It was horrendously difficult for me,” Heather, who is super close to Whitney, said. “I’m just rooting for her and thinking of her.”
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Heather revealed she only learned about the filing that day while appearing live on SiriusXM’s Reality Checked. She told host Kiki Monique: “I’m a little shocked,” explaining that she had believed Whitney and Justin were separated but still working on their relationship.
Her reaction came with plenty of personal context. Heather separated from her former husband, Billy Gay III, in 2011 and finalised their divorce three years later. The former couple share three daughters. Heather said: “I divorced so secretly and slowly, molasses slow.”
She added that dealing with it publicly would be “really difficult.” Whitney and Justin’s divorce filing follows months of separation. Us Weekly confirmed in July they had split two months earlier, but Whitney said in September they continued to work together and co-parent.
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“Justin and I work together. We coparent. We do everything together,” Whitney said at the time. She explained that she and Justin share two properties and take turns moving between them, allowing their children to remain in their primary home.
The breakdown of the marriage will also be addressed during season seven of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. Whitney told Us: “Everything that you see unfold this season happened in real time.” She added that she was prioritising the protection of her children.
For now, Whitney has formally filed for divorce, while she and Justin have been co-parenting under their nesting arrangement. However, she hasn’t made an official statement on socials. Viewers can expect the events leading to their separation to unfold during season seven.
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