Katie Maloney Says Vanderpump Rules Couldn't Fire Her - Because She'd Already Quit MONTHS Ago!

Katie Maloney claims she wasn’t fired from Vanderpump Rules like everyone else — she walked away first!

In Wednesday’s new episode of her podcast Disrespectfully with co-host Dayna Kathan, the Bravo star shared that she “didn’t plan on returning” to the show. She explained:

“Maybe it doesn’t matter at this point, but I had made a decision months ago after this past season. I mean, I just needed to move on with my life. And this is before we knew the show was gonna be put on pause, before any of that.”

Danya clarified that Katie had made up her mind after the season 11 reunion, which aired in May. Katie confirmed, saying she “talked to our producers about it, and I told them my decision on that.” Wow!

So, why was she so ready to quit?? We mean, she practically grew up on the show and it helped get her where she is today in her career. Regardless of this, she “felt personally ready to move on” because her “life was moving in a different direction.” The Something About Her sandwich shop co-owner insisted:

“Mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, I was prepared.”

Having been through a marriage and divorce on the show — alongside a lot of other drama over “many seasons” of her life — she didn’t think she could continue to grow into the human she wanted to be with the cameras and controversy. The TV personality continued:

“[I] lived many lives [and] went through so much on that show, but I don’t know, I just got to a point where I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can live and grow and be the version of myself I want to be on this show any longer.’”

Because the friend group is no longer the same as before post-Scandoval, she “understand[s]” the network’s decision to replace the original cast with a “new group of close-knit SUR-vers,” noting that the OGs’ “dynamic” was “fractured” beyond repair — to the point that “many of us don’t hang out.” Oof. It was the “cohesive unit” that made fans fall in love with the show, but now it “doesn’t exist anymore,” according to Katie. Bummer!

Even though she was ready to leave, Katie admitted that “the finality of it is surreal,” “weird,” and “sad no matter what” — though she wasn’t exactly surprised by the news. Oh, and she also hit back at claims the cast was axed because people “were demanding tons of money,” claiming that negotiations had “not even been discussed.” Hmm.

Hear her spill ALL the tea on the VPR shakeup (below):