In a dramatic turn of events during the Southern Hospitality season 2 reunion, Joe Bradley found himself at the center of controversy. His denial of hooking up with Luann de Lesseps was challenged by a leaked Instagram DM to one of his co-stars.
The reunion, which aired Thursday, saw Bradley addressing rumors of a romantic encounter with de Lesseps following a flirty interaction during a January taping of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. Despite vehemently denying any physical intimacy, Bradley, 28, admitted to hitting it off with the 58-year-old Real Housewives of New York City alum.
While maintaining that they only shared drinks and flirtation, Bradley acknowledged crossing a line considering his ongoing relationship with Summer House star Danielle Olivera at the time. Despite his assertions, skepticism loomed large among his fellow cast members, notably TJ Dinch, who expressed doubt over Bradley’s version of events.
During the heated exchange, Dinch whispered to their castmate, Mia Alario, “They hooked up,” suggesting that Bradley and de Lesseps had indeed hooked up.
Dinch then advised Bradley to “be honest” about what happened with de Lesseps.
“I did not hook up with Luann,” Bradley asserted, recalling he told Dinch, “I was playfully hanging out with her at the bar. That’s f**king it. Why would you even insinuate that?”
When host Andy Cohen hinted that Dinch knew more about the incident, Bradley insisted, “Nothing happened!” Cohen then turned to Dinch, asking, “How sure are you that he did hook up with Luann?”
Dinch replied, “99 percent,” prompting Bradley to yell, “F**k off!”
Dinch urged Bradley again to “just admit it,” while Cohen noted Bradley looked “so guilty right now.”
Despite the pressure, Bradley stood firm in his denial, even amid accusations of being a “terrible liar” from his co-stars and Cohen.
However, the situation took a new twist when Dinch shared a screenshot after the reunion aired of an alleged direct message from Bradley, casting doubt on his denial.
In the message, Bradley allegedly wrote, “At the end of the day, no one will give a f**k that you broke the news haha. You’re a supporting character, friend of. [Rat]. Truly heartbreaking.”
The leaked DM added fuel to the fire, raising questions about Bradley’s credibility and prompting further speculation about the nature of his relationship with de Lesseps. Neither Bradley nor de Lesseps have publicly addressed the leaked message or the allegations made during the reunion.
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