Heather Gay is weighing in on the shocking news that her Real Housewives of Salt Lake City costar Whitney Rose has filed for divorce from her husband, Justin Rose.
“I was surprised, I really was,” Heather, 52, shared on the Wednesday, October 7, edition of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. “I really thought it was a chapter of estrangement but I was surprised.”
She added, “I’ve texted with Whitney. Divorce is very, very difficult. It was horrendously difficult for me. I can’t imagine now navigating it with the public and the personal and the kids and all of it. I’m just rooting for her and thinking of her.”
On Wednesday, Us obtained court documents confirming that Whitney, 39, formally filed divorce papers in Utah after 16 years of marriage to Justin, 58. Whitney submitted a proposed parenting plan for the former couple’s two children, daughter Bobbie, 16, and son Brooks, 13.
Heather revealed that she first learned about her cousin’s divorce filing during a live interview with SiriusXM’s Reality Checked earlier in the day.
“I’m a little shocked,” Heather admitted to host Kiki Monique live on air. “I thought that they were just separating and working on it. … It’s sad to me.”
The Bravo star went on to say, “I love Justin. I love their family. I know how hard divorce is and this sucks. I can’t imagine doing it on this platform, publicly. … I can’t imagine having to deal with that with every person I see at the grocery store and with my kids.”
Heather and her ex-husband Billy Gay III separated in 2011 and finalized their divorce three years later. They share daughters Ashley, Georgia, and Annabelle.
“I divorced so secretly and slowly, molasses slow,” she recalled. “I did that to protect how difficult it was. I can’t imagine ripping the bandaid off like that. It would be really hard, really difficult.”
Us confirmed in July that Whitney and Justin had split two months earlier. Whitney revealed to Us in September that she and Justin were still “nesting” with their kids despite their separation.
“[Our kids] have so much love and support around them that their life hasn’t really changed much because we’re nesting,” Whitney shared. “Justin and I work together. We coparent. We do everything together. So, from the kids’ perspective, I would imagine, I mean, based on their feedback, it’s more peaceful. It’s better.”
Per Whitney, she and Justin “share two places” and they “rotate between the two” so their kids never have to leave their “primary home.”
At the time, Whitney hinted that RHOSLC viewers would see the events leading up to her and Justin’s breaking point playing out in season 7.
“Everything that you see unfold this season happened in real time,” she told Us. “I didn’t hold anything back. I shared everything that I felt was safe to share and that would protect my children.”
