Taylor Armstrong

Taylor Armstrong recently made Real Housewives history as the first Housewife to switch franchises since it premiered back in 2006. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star is joining The Real Housewives of Orange County as a friend of the ladies for its upcoming 17th season as announced by PEOPLE and BravoTV on August 1, 2022.

Armstrong is an original cast member of the hit Bravo show, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Debuting to critical acclaim in 2011, the Beverly Hills franchise won a Critic’s Choice Television Award for the success of its inaugural season.

But behind the glamorous façade of The Real Housewives, Armstrong had her own personal drama. She hid a very dark secret; her husband, Russell, had been physically, verbally, emotionally and financially abusing her for years. Following the familiar pattern of many domestic violence survivors before her, Armstrong witnessed domestic violence in her home as a young child – the abuse of her mother at the hands of her father. Thankfully, Armstrong was able to break the cycle of violence. After six years of abuse with Russell, she found the courage to leave. Tragically, soon after, Russell took his own life. Armstrong and her young daughter, Kennedy, found themselves starting their lives over while the whole world watched.

Armstrong has been interviewed on Entertainment Tonight, Dr. Phil, The Today Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, E!, Extra, Access Hollywood, The Wendy Williams Show, Watch What Happens Live, OWN, WeTV, VH1, PeacockTV and dozens of others, including local programs across the country. She has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, People magazine, US Weekly, Life & Style, In Touch, OK!, Star, The Hollywood Reporter, The Enquirer, Business Weekly and other publications.

In 2012, Armstrong authored her first book, Hiding from Reality: My Story of Love, Loss and Finding the Courage Within. The autobiographical account of Armstrong’s life and personal experience with domestic violence became a New York Times bestseller. Armstrong established The Taylor Armstrong Foundation in order to further her mission; the foundation works to raise awareness, educate the public, provide housing resources for shelters, and help victims recover and reinvent their lives.