Tom Sandoval has shared his thoughts on Ariana Madix‘s new boyfriend, Daniel Wai.
Over six months after Ariana, 38, went public with Daniel, a New York City-based fitness trainer, the Vanderpump Rules star, 40, commented on Daniel and their future while also teasing season 11 and revealing what he learned from his months-long affair with former co-star Rachel “Raquel” Leviss, 29.
“He seems like a nice guy,” Sandoval told E! News of Daniel on November 27. “I don’t really know him or them together, but from what I’ve seen, they seem happy. I wish them the best.”
Although it is unclear if Sandoval and Daniel ever filmed together, Ariana did confirm in October that Daniel will be seen on season 11.
“Once or twice, but definitely not very much,” she told E! News of how much he’d be featured. “He’s not into the whole world of it all. It was very foreign to him, but I give him props for being a good sport on my behalf.”
In addition to filming with Ariana post-“Scandoval,” Sandoval faced challenging on-camera moments with other castmates as he attempted to make amends following his cheating scandal.
“It really hurt to see people sum me up to just one thing, especially people that I had been friends with for well over a decade,” he explained. “I was always the friend that showed up. I was the one that was there. So, it was hard for people to completely throw all of that out the window and everything I’ve ever done and look at me like I’m some sort of foreign spy who’s been putting on this act for 15 years for this one moment.”
While Sandoval was certainly in the dog house after season 10, he said season 11 will shed new light on “Scandoval.”
“There’s a lot more to what happened,” he teased. “At some point, more things and details will come out and I think this next season of Vanderpump Rules you’ll see a lot more.”
As for what he’s learned, Sandoval said he now appreciates the smaller things in life.
“It’s gotten me to really appreciate things in my life that maybe I took for granted,” he admitted. “I really appreciate the friends that have stuck by me. That didn’t jump on a bandwagon or a movement.”
During another interview, with TMZ on November 27, Sandoval revealed which of his Pump Rules castmates would last the longest on Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.
“I would say hands down [Jax Taylor]. I think Jax would do well. I think he would enjoy it, too,” Sandoval suspected. “He would do the best out of everyone. [But James Kennedy] would do well too.”
Meanwhile, Sandoval felt Tom Schwartz, 40, wouldn’t hold up as well.
“I don’t think Schwartz would last because it’s also, you gotta understand too, there’s no cash prize at the end,” he noted. “You’re doing it for yourself. You’re doing it for pride or for, to feel accomplished or for whatever reasons you’re doing it for, you’re not winning. You’re not beating anyone else. It’s for yourself.”
Continuing on to TMZ, Sandoval said he’s glad season 11 has wrapped.
“My favorite time with filming Vanderpump Rules is always before the season airs because once the season airs, you feel like you’ve got to relive it but I’m really glad season 11 is, we’re done filming it,” he shared.
Vanderpump Rules season 11 premieres on Bravo in January 2024.
