No problems here! The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills producers don’t mind turning over show footage of Erika Jayne after being subpoenaed, a source exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly.
“They do not want to get in the way of the legal system,” the insider says.
Us confirmed earlier this month that Bravo was subpoenaed for footage of Erika, 50, on season 11 of the hit series amid her and estranged husband Tom Girardi’s legal troubles.
The former couple first made headlines in December 2020 when they were accused of embezzling funds that were meant for the families of victims of a plane crash.
The Pretty Mess author has since been sued for $25 million for her alleged part in Tom’s bankruptcy case, despite maintaining that she knew nothing about his alleged shady dealings. The network, for its part, was asked in October to turn over unaired scenes involving Erika in order to help with the ongoing investigation.
Attorney Jay Edelson claimed at the time that the Georgia native has been “protected” by Bravo and producer Andy Cohen amid the controversy.
“We have all seen Bravo ride the Girardi embezzlement scandal to historically high ratings,” the lawyer exclusively told Us in a statement earlier this month. “For the most part, Andy Cohen and Bravo have protected Erika, paying her — according to reports — as much as $600,000 to be on the show this year while allowing her to cast herself as the primary victim of Tom’s criminality.”
However, the source tells Us that “no one at Bravo tried to protect Erika at any point.” In fact, both Cohen, 53, and the rest of the producers were “interested in finding out the truth behind Erika’s money and how much she knew about where it was coming from as well” throughout filming.
The insider notes that Bravo “loves” how Erika’s drama has unfolded on the show. “So many people are talking about this current season, and it’s been great for ratings,” the source adds.
While Erika has been “nervous that her own words will be used against her in court,” the insider explains that the show is her main source of income and therefore she has chosen to be vocal about her legal ups and downs all season.
“Erika is worried about her finances,” the source tells Us. “Erika is worried about her words coming back to haunt her, but she has no choice since she needs the income from the show.”
A separate source previously told Us that the Bravo star is expecting a raise should she return for season 12 of the reality series. After being “put through the wringer and following producers’ orders” during the last season, the insider said in October that Erika is going to “demand a higher paycheck” moving forward.
For more on Erika and her legal drama, watch the video above and pick up the new issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now.