Tom Sandovalis still coming to terms with the backlash he faced in the aftermath ofhis affair.
In PEOPLE’s exclusive sneak peek at Monday’s episode ofSpecial Forces: World’s Toughest Test, theVanderpump Rulesstar opens up to hisfellow boot camp recruits about the fallout of his choice to cheat on histhen-girlfriend of nine years,Ariana Madix, with their friendRachel “Raquel” Leviss.
“I had an affair, and it just blew up,” he says. “People were messaging me paragraphs of just like vicious, like, so visceral, like, hatred.”
Speed skaterErin Jacksonasks her costar why the affair was “such a big deal,” to which he replies, “I honestly don’t know. I’m a f—ing stupid reality star. Like, come on man.”
FOX via Getty
“Before this whole scandal, I would meet people who had probably seen me onVanderpump Rules, and they’d be like, ‘Oh my gosh, he’s so cool.’ And then now, people think I’m a complete narcissist, creeper vibes.”
Of his decision to join the survival show, he explains, “I’m definitely not here to run away. I want to punish myself. I think I deserve it.”
‘Vanderpump Rules’ costars Ariana Madix, Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss.Tammie/AFF-USA/Shutterstock; Cindy Ord/Bravo via Getty Images; Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty Images
Tammie/AFF-USA/Shutterstock; Cindy Ord/Bravo via Getty Images; Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty Images
Sandoval’sSpecial ForcescastmateKelly Rizzopreviously told PEOPLE that the topic of theVPRscandal was raised early in the show, thanks toJack Osbourne.
Rizzo, 44, said Osbourne, 37, was“the first person who uttered that word [Scandoval] on the show,”and that it made her realize who Sandoval was.
“We were all in the same transport vehicle bus,” she said. “And Tom was sitting next to me and he was like, ‘Hi, I’m Tom,’ and I’m like, ‘Hi, I’m Kelly.’ But I had no idea who he was. And so Jack goes a minute in, ‘Looks like we’ve got a Scandoval on our hands.’ And I was like, ‘Oh s—, it’s Tom Sandoval.’ And he was like, ‘Yeah.’ ”
Nick Viall, Jack Osbourne and Tom Sandoval in Fox’s ‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test’.PETE DADDS/FOX
PETE DADDS/FOX
Rizzo said she “kind of felt bad” for how she reacted at first. But, despite a bumpy start, Sandoval and the entire cast came to form bonds that felt almost familial, Osbourne shared.
“We got to know each other so well and on such a deeper level," Osbourne said. “Not to sound cliché but we were all laughing together and there were times where we all cried together. Bode [Miller] shared his story about what happened with his family, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the bunkhouse. We were all just bawling. And that’s the kind of beautiful thing about this show. It’s incredibly tough. It’s a total ass kicker, but the bonds that are created are wild.”
Tom Sandoval attends the red carpet for Fox’s ‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test’ season 2.Kevin Winter/Getty
Kevin Winter/Getty
As for the man himself, Sandoval told PEOPLE that he signed up for the brutal survival series as a way to get some emotional distance from the drama in his life.
“I think that and getting away and just wanting to focus on something very different,” he said. “Take a vacation, go a different direction for a while and do something. Focus on a different aspect of myself, because sometimes when you go away, you focus on a whole different part of you. It can kind of teach you a lot about the other part of you.”
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Special Forces: World’s Toughest Testairs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.
source: people.com
