Vanderpump Rules alum Tom Schwartz wants us all to know that he’s nobody’s “sidekick.”
Though he means no disrespect to Tom Sandoval, Schwartz told fans at BravoCon 2025 that it’s “been nice” filming The Valley Season 3 solo. “I’m not a sidekick,” he said. “I’m not riding in the sidecar anymore.”
While making it clear that he’ll always love Sandoval, “Tom 1” and “Tom 2” are no longer a thing. From now on Schwartz is just Tom.
Schwartz joined The Valley full-time alongside fellow VPR alum Lala Kent
While Schwartz has been featured in past episodes of The Valley, Season 3 will mark his debut as a full-time cast member, alongside former VPR co-star and social media aficionado, Lala Kent. “It’s been really fun,” he said at BravoCon. “I feel like everyone here really embraced me … You guys took me in like an old rescue dog. That’s what we talked about backstage. I feel like an old rescue dog, and I found a new home.”
In addition to talking about his new role on The Valley, “Just Tom” brought up his new girlfriend, model Kiana Carroll. “She’s the love of my life,” he continued. “I’m happy, I feel like I’m under a love spell right now, and it’s a good place to be. I’ve got the rose-colored lenses on.”
“I wasn’t supposed to say that out loud,” he laughed. Even though he’s definitely “in love,” he didn’t mean to call his girlfriend “the love of my love” so publicly. That’s a little disrespectful to his ex-wife Katie Maloney, who was his love for 12 years.
“I’m sorry. It came out wrong,” he later told People. “I do love her. She’s amazing … but I didn’t mean to say that. Oh my God, I feel like she’s gonna leave me after this.”
“She is the love of my life,” he explained. “I just felt like I shouldn’t have said it on stage, damn it! I don’t wanna scare her away.”
The Valley Season 3 has not yet set a premiere date, though Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming on Peacock.
TELL US – ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING TOM AND LALA ON THE VALLEY? WILL THEY FILL THE VOID LEFT BY JAX’S EXIT?
