Tom Sandoval claims ‘I still love Ariana,’ but says romance ran cold before scandal

Tom Sandoval says he still has feelings for ex-girlfriend Ariana Madix, a month after allegedly cheating on her with their “Vanderpump Rules” co-star Raquel Leviss.

The “Vanderpump Rules” star opened up about the scandal — “Scandoval” for fans in the know — in a nearly hour-and-a-half interview with Howie Mandel for his “Howie Mandel Does Stuff” podcast. In the episode, released Tuesday, Sandoval says he could not have anticipated the buzz around the “Vanderpump” drama.

“I’m finally getting time to start to reflect on the situation because I never thought I would get myself in a situation like this. Never dreamed it,” he said. “I worked too hard for my image, for my business, for my integrity … but it just happened.”

In March, People reported that Sandoval, 39, and Madix, 37, had split after nine years together. At the center of the breakup was his affair with Leviss, 28.

Shortly after, Sandoval shared a statement on Instagram apologizing to Madix for the “reckless decisions that hurt somebody I love.” Sandoval told Mandel that he still cares for his ex-girlfriend.

“I love Ariana. I still love Ariana,” he said.

Sandoval’s affair seemed to be a breaking point for the former couple, but he told the “America’s Got Talent” judge that there was more to their split.

He said that after being together with Madix for a while, it felt more like they were “best friends, family, sometimes roommates.”

“There was a lot of ways where the relationship was just lacking the intimacy, the connection,” he added.

According to Sandvoal, he and Madix both struggled with their mental health and socialized separately. Even then, they wanted to “keep the optics up that we were a solid, powerful couple because it was part of our brand,” he said.

He said that he enjoyed the “safety” and “stability” of the years-long relationship but that he started “to feel trapped,” especially as he aged.

“I started to look at my life, and it looked very bleak,” he said. “I started to think my best years were behind me.”

On this “whole Raquel thing,” Sandoval told Mandel that he “was in a very dark place” and that he was “just yearning for a connection” during the affair. Nearly 50 minutes into the interview, Mandel encouraged listeners to “have some empathy and compassion.”

Neither Madix nor Leviss has publicly addressed Sandoval’s podcast comments. Andy Cohen, on the other hand, has.

On Wednesday’s episode of his SiriusXM show, “Andy Cohen Live,” the Bravo personality slammed both Sandoval and Mandel for the podcast interview.

“I found out about it last week. Was annoyed on my behalf, on Bravo’s behalf, on the viewers’ behalf,” Cohen said, according to Entertainment Tonight.

Cohen said Sandoval needed an interview to “be completely unchallenged” and slammed Mandel for his lack of “Vanderpump Rules” knowledge. Mandel did clarify early in his interview that he hasn’t watched the Bravo show since its early years.

Overall, the conversation was “a missed opportunity for both of them,” Cohen said.