‘I Was Surprised’: Heather Gay Speaks Out After Whitney Rose Files for Divorce From Justin Rose
Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Heather Gay is opening up about the stunning news that her cousin and costar Whitney Rose has filed for divorce from her husband, Justin Rose, after 16 years of marriage. Heather appeared on Wednesday, October 7, on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, where she admitted she was caught completely off guard by the legal development. While fans and viewers have watched Whitney and Justin’s relationship struggles play out on the Bravo series, Heather said she never expected the situation to escalate to a formal divorce filing.
“I was surprised, I really was,” Heather, 52, shared during the late-night talk show. “I really thought it was a chapter of estrangement, but I was surprised.”
Heather went on to reveal that she has already reached out to Whitney directly since the news broke. “I’ve texted with Whitney. Divorce is very, very difficult. It was horrendously difficult for me. I can’t imagine now navigating it with the public and the personal and the kids and all of it. I’m just rooting for her and thinking of her,” she said.
Her comments came hours after Us Weekly obtained court documents confirming that Whitney, 39, had formally filed for divorce in Utah. The paperwork marked a major turning point in a relationship that had been publicly tested for months. Whitney also submitted a proposed parenting plan for the former couple’s two children, daughter Bobbie, 16, and son Brooks, 13. The filing signals that Whitney and Justin are now moving forward with the legal process of ending their marriage, even though they had previously suggested they were taking time apart to work on things.
Heather first learned about the divorce filing during a live interview on SiriusXM’s Reality Checked earlier that same day. Speaking with host Kiki Monique, Heather did not hide her shock. “I’m a little shocked,” she admitted on air. “I thought that they were just separating and working on it. … It’s sad to me.”
During that conversation, Heather also made a point to express affection for Justin, showing that her concern extends to both sides of the split. “I love Justin. I love their family. I know how hard divorce is and this sucks. I can’t imagine doing it on this platform, publicly. … I can’t imagine having to deal with that with every person I see at the grocery store and with my kids,” she said.
Heather’s empathy comes from a deeply personal place. The reality star and her ex-husband, Billy Gay III, separated in 2011 and did not finalize their divorce until three years later in 2014. The former couple share three daughters: Ashley, Georgia, and Annabelle. Heather reflected on her own divorce during her remarks, explaining that she made the deliberate choice to keep her separation and eventual divorce as private as possible. She described the process as painfully slow and emotionally grueling.
“I divorced so secretly and slowly, molasses slow,” she recalled. “I did that to protect how difficult it was. I can’t imagine ripping the bandaid off like that. It would be really hard, really difficult.”
For Heather, the challenge of going through a divorce in the public eye is almost unthinkable. During her own journey, she had the benefit of privacy, which allowed her to process her feelings without the added pressure of public scrutiny. Whitney, by contrast, is living through one of the most personal experiences of her life while cameras capture every emotional moment and fans weigh in on social media.
Heather and Whitney have long referred to one another as cousins, and their relationship has been one of the more complicated dynamics on RHOSLC. Over the years, the two women have swung between close alliance and sharp conflict, often finding themselves on opposite sides of the show’s central arguments. But in this moment, Heather made it clear that any past tension has been set aside. Her focus is entirely on supporting Whitney and her children through a painful and life-altering transition.
The news of the divorce filing did not come entirely out of nowhere. Us Weekly confirmed in July that Whitney and Justin had split two months earlier, meaning the couple had been separated for some time before their legal situation became public. At the time, they appeared committed to maintaining stability for their children, and Whitney later opened up about the unusual living arrangement they had adopted.
In September, Whitney spoke candidly with Us about the fact that she and Justin were still nesting, a co-parenting arrangement in which the children remain in the family home while the parents rotate in and out. Whitney explained that the setup had been working well for their family.
“[Our kids] have so much love and support around them that their life hasn’t really changed much because we’re nesting,” Whitney shared. “Justin and I work together. We coparent. We do everything together. So, from the kids’ perspective, I would imagine, I mean, based on their feedback, it’s more peaceful. It’s better.”
Whitney went on to reveal that she and Justin “share two places” and “rotate between the two,” ensuring that Bobbie and Brooks never have to leave their “primary home.” It was an arrangement designed to protect the children from the full weight of their parents’ separation. The goal, she suggested, was to create a sense of continuity and normalcy even as the marriage was falling apart.
The idea that Whitney and Justin were simply taking a break seemed plausible at the time. Nesting is often used by couples who want to minimize disruption for their children during a separation. But the divorce filing represents a more definitive step, one that suggests the marriage cannot be saved. The proposed parenting plan submitted with the filing indicates that Whitney is thinking carefully about how to structure the family going forward.
Whitney had previously hinted that fans would get to see the real-life events that led to her and Justin’s breaking point when RHOSLC returns for season 7. She told Us that the show would reflect exactly what was happening in her life at the time, with no effort to hide or sugarcoat the difficulties she and Justin were facing.
“Everything that you see unfold this season happened in real time,” Whitney said. “I didn’t hold anything back. I shared everything that I felt was safe to share and that would protect my children.”
That promise sets the stage for a season that is likely to be emotionally raw and difficult to watch. Reality television has a way of turning personal pain into entertainment, but Whitney has repeatedly made it clear that her priority is her children. She has tried to draw a line between what she is willing to share on camera and what she feels is too personal or too harmful to expose. The challenge will be balancing that instinct with the demands of being a cast member on one of Bravo’s most popular franchises.
Heather’s public reaction adds another layer to the unfolding story. She has been through divorce herself, and she knows how much it takes out of a person. She also knows what it means to raise children while navigating the emotional and logistical complexities of ending a marriage. Her comments reflect a deep, genuine compassion for Whitney, as well as a recognition that no two divorces are the same.
“I can’t imagine having to deal with that with every person I see at the grocery store and with my kids,” Heather said, acknowledging the unique challenges of divorcing in the public eye. It is one thing to go through a difficult personal experience; it is another to know that strangers are watching and judging every move.
For now, Heather’s message to Whitney is one of love and support. She has offered her empathy, her understanding, and her friendship during what is undoubtedly one of the hardest chapters of Whitney’s life. “I’m just rooting for her and thinking of her,” she said, and those words carry the weight of someone who has been there.
As the divorce proceedings move forward, fans will be watching closely to see how Whitney and Justin navigate the next stage of their relationship. They have both expressed a commitment to co-parenting, and their nesting arrangement showed a willingness to put their children’s needs above their own personal conflicts. Whether that cooperative spirit will continue through the legal process remains unclear.
What is clear is that Whitney is not alone. She has a network of family and friends around her, including a cousin in Heather who understands exactly what she is going through. Heather’s own divorce was slow, private, and painful, but she survived it. Her presence now serves as a reminder that there is life on the other side of even the most difficult endings.
The story is still developing, and more details about Whitney and Justin’s divorce are likely to emerge in the coming weeks. But in the immediate aftermath of the news, one thing stands out: Heather Gay is there for Whitney Rose, ready to offer comfort, compassion, and the hard-won wisdom that comes from having lived through a similar experience. That kind of support can make all the difference, especially when the world is watching.
