Scheana Shay Was Offered a Very Generous ‘Valley’ Role — Here’s Why She Declined

Unlike some of her former Vanderpump Rules cast members, Scheana Shay said she turned down a role on The Valley. Shay spent years on reality television, and she is one of just a few Vanderpump Rules alums who did not return to the screen after the reboot. The show reportedly gave her a generous offer to join its cast, but she turned it down.

Scheana Shay shared why she didn’t accept a role on ‘The Valley’

When Shay’s Vanderpump Rules castmates Lala Kent and Tom Schwartz joined The Valley, many were surprised Shay didn’t also appear. She said that she received a good offer from producers, but she turned it down.

“It just didn’t feel like the right time,” she said on her Scheananigans podcast. “I’m just not sure that that’s where this next chapter of my story belongs. It didn’t feel right.”

While she has genuine connections with the cast, she didn’t think the time was right for her. She’s not ruling it out in the future, though.

“Maybe in the future. But last year, where I was at, it didn’t feel right,” she said. “It does feel like it would be so easy. It makes so much sense. I’m friends with most of them. I’ve also had some rude awakenings about some over the past year.”

She believes she would fit in naturally with ongoing storylines, but she doesn’t want to subject herself to the difficulties of reality television at this point.

“There’s like some unresolved things [with cast members]. And I mean, I think from a storytelling perspective, it would be an organic fit,” she said. “It would make sense. But it’s also tolling on your mental health. And it’s like, at what cost? Like, am I ready to jump back in and do that again?”

Despite this, Shay has appeared as a guest on several episodes of the series.

Scheana Shay spoke about her relationships with ‘The Valley’ cast members

According to Shay, she has strong relationships with many members of The Valley’s cast.

“I am still good friends with all of them,” she said on her podcast. “I talked to Brittany [Cartwright] the other day. I talked to Janet [Caperna] yesterday. I’m seeing Michelle [Saniei] on Thursday for dinner. Jasmine [Goode] and I hang out. Zack [Wickham], Kristen [Doute], I just talked to. So, they are still all of my friends.”

Still, she said that not appearing on reality television has benefited her relationships.

She said she would never join the cast of one show

In 2023, Shay told her podcast guest Jamie Lynne, “Don’t recommend me for Big Brother, because I don’t think I would be good.” She believes the “challenges and the manipulation” element of the show would be difficult for her.

If given the option, though, she said she would pick Big Brother over Survivor. 

“I couldn’t go stab a fish,” she said, adding, “I would have to go, like, open coconuts or something.”