Vicki Gunvalson claims she has ‘proof’ ex Steve Lodge is cheating on new wife
Vicki Gunvalson made a bombshell claim about her ex-fiancé Steve Lodge at BravoCon on Sunday.
“He’s out cheating on his wife, I’m sure,” the “Real Housewives of Orange County” alum, 60, alleged during the “Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Ex-Wives Club” panel. “And I have proof he is. A cheater’s a cheater.”
Gunvalson did not go into detail about the evidence she claims to possess that proves her ex’s infidelity and she did not immediately return Page Six’s request for comment on Monday.
Lodge tells Page Six in response to the allegations, “I would never cheat on Janis. I haven’t the slightest idea of what Vicki is lying about now. This is just another stunt of Vicki’s to get attention.”
The former California gubernatorial candidate, 64, wed school teacher Janis Carlson in April, less than a year after he called it quits with Gunvalson in September 2021.
The same month the former couple ended their two-year engagement, Lodge and Carlson, 38, began dating.
Gunvalson then publicly bashed her ex, claiming he cheated, lied and used her.
“While I was out of town working on a biz trip, [Lodge] took [the woman] to my condo in Mexico!” she alleged in a post on Instagram in October 2021. “He’s been flaunting around my town in OC making out in public places. It’s disgusting.”
However, Lodge denied at the time that he was ever unfaithful and claimed that his relationship with Gunvalson had been over since December 2020.
“I did this in person verbally and explained it to her in writing,” he exclusively told us. “I’m sorry that Vicki can not except [sic] this, but it was time.”
Nearly four months later, Gunvalson explained to Page Six why she felt misled by her ex during that year that she claims they were on-again, off-again.
“I will give him the credit for stating we broke up,” the Bravolebrity exclusively told us in February.
“But when you break up with somebody, you don’t continue to sleep in their bed and you don’t continue to live with them. So, that was my bad that I didn’t take it at face value because I didn’t want to break up.”
She added, “If he states he didn’t cheat on me, then why did you continue to live with me? That’s my question to him. Why did you lead me to believe we were going to be OK? Because I was in it for life.”
Despite the back and forth with Lodge, Gunvalson appears to have moved on as she announced in June that she has a new boyfriend.
“My heart is happy,” the reality star captioned a series of photos on Instagram. “So great introducing Michael to my amazing family. Lots of laughs and tons of fun.”
Gunvalson also exclusively told Page Six at BravoCon of the gratitude she feels for her thriving love life today.
“Last year, at this time it was not good. I wanted to die,” she admitted. “I mean, I was that depressed. So, I did a lot of soul-searching, a lot of journaling. I read my Bible daily. I reflect back on it as a season.”
The “RHOC” alum said that because of the “s–tty seasons” of her life, she can “learn from it and realize that this is just a season and we will get through it.”
However, after experiencing heartbreak with Lodge, Gunvalson vowed that she will never “give [herself] 100 percent” to another man.
“And this way, I won’t get hurt anymore. And that’s OK,” she told us. “I don’t know if my guard will ever come down.”
