Brittany Cartwright and Brandon Hanson Break Up 2 Months After Debut

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No more date nights for Brittany Cartwright and Brandon Hanson.

The popular actress from Valley has confirmed her breakup with her boyfriend, just two months after they were first linked romantically following a very public and affectionate vacation. She is now single.

Brittany, 36, revealed on the October 10th episode of her podcast, *When Reality Hits*, that she and her partner have broken up. They were close friends before becoming a couple, and their relationship moved quickly. She added that they didn’t want their romance to become public so soon.

The reality star said the distance was a major reason for the split, as they lived in separate cities and both had busy lives.

It was difficult to maintain a long-distance relationship, especially since he had a lot on his plate with his kids and work. Living three hours apart just made things too challenging to continue.

Brittany, who shares 4-year-old son Cruz with her soon-to-be ex-husband Jax Taylor, explained that she hopes to remain friendly with Brandon, as she and Jax genuinely cared for each other.

She said she hoped they could still be friends, but she didn’t see a future for the relationship.

She’s still recovering from her split with Jax, as their divorce hasn’t been finalized, and it’s clearly been a difficult time for her.

She explained that she still needed time to heal and grow, and felt that being single for a while longer would be the healthiest choice for her.

Although it seemed like Brittany and Brandon’s relationship developed rapidly, Brittany shared that they actually had a history together before they started dating.

She told TopMob News in September that she’s reconnecting with someone she dated 15 years ago. They originally met when she lived in Kentucky, and she’s now just enjoying getting to know him again.

Keep reading for more details on Brittany and Jax’s breakup…

Before Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright were married, Jax had a brief encounter with Faith Stowers, a former waitress at SUR, back in 2017.

Jax confessed on *Vanderpump Rules* that he’d cheated before, and previous attempts to cover it up by denying everything for months hadn’t been successful.

Although Brittany initially ended their relationship after a difficult time, they reconciled months later and married in 2020.

In February 2024, Brittany announced her separation from Jax, with whom she shares a two-year-old son named Cruz, after four years of marriage.

It’s been a difficult year, and like many marriages, ours has been going through a tough time,” the podcaster, originally from Kentucky, explained on their show, *When Reality Hits*. “Jax and I have decided to take some time apart, and I’ve moved into a separate home to focus on my well-being.”

Brittany said she’s focusing on the present and taking things one day at a time. While she’s unsure what the future holds, her priority right now is being a great mom to Cruz.

A month later, problems in the couple’s relationship were clearly visible after Bravo released the trailer for their new show, *The Valley*.

Brittany confessed they haven’t been intimate, saying she doesn’t think her husband is attracted to her. Jax followed up by saying marriage can be really difficult.

Plus, costar Janet Caperna teased in the clip, “There’s a rumor about Jax cheating online.”

However, Jax slammed allegations of infidelity days after the trailer release.

He told TopMob News on March 14th at the premiere of *The Valley* that they were simply going through a rough patch with communication. He stressed that there was no cheating or any other kind of affair involved, and that sometimes people just have trouble getting along – it’s a normal part of life, he explained.

He explained that they still see each other daily, and the only change is they no longer live together. That’s all that’s different, he said.

Okay, so everyone was saying Jax cheated and *that’s* why things ended with Brittany, but she finally set the record straight! It wasn’t about that at all, and she actually told us exactly *when* they really split up. I’m so glad she finally shared the real story – it’s been driving me crazy trying to figure it out!

Things got really tough with my partner, and after a big fight, I made the difficult decision to move out. I’ve been living in an Airbnb since January 24th, needing some space to sort things through. It’s never easy when a relationship hits a rough patch, but sometimes a little distance is what you need.

She explained she needed to prioritize her well-being, and she felt confident and empowered by her decision to take some time for herself.

Even though they’re going through a difficult separation, the couple both agree that they’re prioritizing the needs of their two-year-old son.

Jax told TopMob, ‘He’s the best, and we both see that. What matters most is that he has two parents who adore him, and he’ll have a wonderful life, no matter what happens between us.’

Brittany acknowledged they’d been arguing more and expressed her concern for their son, saying she didn’t want him to believe constant conflict was a normal way to live.

Brittany admitted in March that “there’s always hope,” but she just needs Jax to put in the work.

Brittany shared with TopMob that she feels her love for Jax is unmatched. Despite everything they’ve been through together, and her continued loyalty, she believes they can only reconcile if he addresses certain issues. For now, though, she needs to focus on her own well-being and personal growth. She expressed feeling empowered by taking steps to prioritize herself, emphasizing the importance of her mental health.

You know, when I heard about Jax and Brittany splitting up, I wasn’t completely surprised. As someone who worked closely with them at SUR, I’d seen a lot over the years. Honestly, while I wish them both well, it didn’t shock me – I had a feeling things weren’t as solid as they seemed.

People thought their marriage wouldn’t work from the start,” the former *Real Housewives* star told TopMob. “Everyone predicted it wouldn’t last, but I’ve always preferred to keep an open mind and not jump to conclusions.

She wasn’t sure why it happened, but she suspected it had something to do with Jax acting up. She figured past behavior is usually a good predictor of what someone will do next.

Their friend, Scheana Shay, told TopMob News on March 23rd that she believes the breakup is a good thing. She feels the woman deserves someone who will treat her with respect and is a better match for her.

And the couple’s The Valley costar Kristen Doute agreed with Scheana.

Kristen said she admires Brittany for standing up for herself and making her own decision. However, she still hopes Brittany and Jax can resolve their issues, emphasizing that it’s up to Jax to make that happen, not Brittany.

In the season finale of *The Valley* on June 4th, Brittany confronted Jax, accusing him of privately making hurtful remarks about her.

According to Kristen Doute, he admitted to treating her terribly, saying things like, “I know I’m mean,” and even acknowledging he’d called her names and threatened her social life if they split up.

Brittany explained to TopMob News in June that they had discussed the possibility of exploring other relationships if they chose to. She acknowledged this might sound unusual or even a bit wild to some, but it was something they both wanted to consider.

In July, Jax announced he was entering a treatment facility to address his mental health, following years of encouragement from Brittany to seek therapy.

The VPR alum mainly credited son Cruz as the reason he saught professional help.

On July 31st, Jax shared a sweet photo on Instagram of him kissing his child, with the caption, ‘Working on getting better for you, buddy. I love you.’

It was really sad to hear, but Brittany officially filed for divorce in August 2024, about seven months after they first announced their separation. From what I’ve read, she’s asking the court for primary custody of their son, Cruz, and wants Jax to have visitation rights. She cited ‘irreconcilable differences’ in the legal documents – it just seems like they grew apart, unfortunately.

Court filings from October 2024, reviewed by TopMob News, show Jax asked the court to give Brittany full custody of their son, Cruz – both legal and physical.

In court documents, Jax stated he and Brittany got married in June 2019. However, he also indicated that he believes their marriage wasn’t legally valid, claiming they never officially registered as a married couple or domestic partners.

A representative for Jax stated that although he made mistakes completing paperwork typically handled by legal experts, those mistakes will be corrected immediately.

Brittany clarified her marital status with Jax after his confusing reply to her divorce papers made people wonder if they were actually married.

She responded to a TopMob News Instagram post about Jax’s mistake by confirming they are legally married, and jokingly suggested he struggles with paperwork.

Brittany revealed in November 2024 that she had a brief romantic encounter with a friend of Jax’s after they broke up, and she doesn’t regret it.

She explained to Bravo’s *Hot Mic* on November 11th that they didn’t have a rule against dating within their friend group. They never discussed it because it didn’t seem necessary. She added that she never intended to get involved with one of his friends – it just happened unexpectedly and wasn’t something she sought out.

As for while she chose to move on with someone in the friend group?

It felt like I already knew this person, and that’s especially strange in my line of work. It really made me question who you can trust, especially since I was navigating being single in Los Angeles for the first time.

Jax was upset that Brittany was dating his friend Julian, calling it a hurtful surprise. He said he was shocked to hear about their relationship.

You know, as someone who spends a lot of time thinking about relationships and boundaries, I completely understand where he’s coming from. He admitted that if it were someone he didn’t have a connection to, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. It’s not about being against her finding love, it’s that he’d prefer she date someone outside of his circle. He wants her to be happy, just not with someone *he* knows!

He also shared that he discovered Brittany was sending Julian nude photos, and said he’d caught her being dishonest a few times.

In March 2025, Jax publicly revealed he had recently gotten sober after struggling with cocaine addiction for many years. He stated he’d been drug and alcohol-free for almost three months.

Brittany’s repsonse?

She expressed hope that he would eventually overcome his addiction, but admitted she had doubts. She worried that his current treatment wasn’t enough and that his actions remained concerning. She’s doing her best to protect herself and her son, but finds each day incredibly difficult. He’s caused a lot of hurt, and she’s lost a lot of trust in him. Ultimately, she hopes he can become a better father to his own child.

In August 2025, Brittany’s costar Kristen Doute confirmed rumors she was in a new relationship.

Kristen Doute from *The Valley* shared with *People* that her friend is dating someone she really likes. While her friend has dated others since her divorce, Kristen hasn’t been impressed with them. She thinks this new person is different – truly wonderful, cool, and feels like family.

Kristen also mentioned that Brittany’s new boyfriend is a parent himself, giving them something else in common and strengthening their connection.

“He’s a dad, so it makes it really easy,” she explained, “a lot easier and understandable.”

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2025-10-13 23:49