Why did Heather Gay cover Jen Shah's black eye drama? 'RHOSLC' Season 4 star tearfully regrets hiding Bravo alum's assault
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH: 'The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' Season 4 Reunion Part 3 focused on Heather Gay's explosive revelations about her black eye. On April 9, 2022, Heather woke up with a black eye during the girls' trip to San Diego. The camera crew was not shooting at the time of the incident.
During the Bravo show's finale, Heather revealed that Jen Shah gave her a black eye and now she revealed why she covered for her. Heather revealed that Jen was the "first person I texted. She came into the room, she said, 'Did I give that to you?' I said, 'Don't worry. I'll cover.'"
Heather said that she was initially 'too scared' to come forward with the revelation. Bravo host Andy Cohen brought up the fact that Heather penned several alternative theories about her black eye on her 'Bad Mormon' book tour, including one that involved a cover-up by the production.
Heather stated, "I don't know. I was scared of her, I think." She added, "I had been covering for her for three years, I was not going to stop at the black eye."
Heather further revealed, "I was that in and I was too scared to say anything. I was terrified to say it."
The reality star claimed that she was still scared to address her black eye drama at the reunion and was 'still scared to say it in Bermuda'. Heather then apologized to Andy and her co-stars for hiding Jen's assault.
She also apologized to the Bravo network and audience and claimed that she didn't know how to navigate it. Heather continued, "I knew that it was becoming bigger and more than I could handle. It was a horrible situation, ... I don't know how to say it, other than, like, I was scared."
However, Heather broke down in tears as she regretted her decision to hide Jen's assault. She tearfully claimed that she was reminded of Jen's manipulative behavior when she confronted Monica in Bermuda about Reality Von Tease. Heather had an emotional moment and she tearfully noted, "I regret turning... all of you, in her defense."
Heather added, "I regret fighting her fight. I regret disrespecting my children and my family and my opportunity here. And I would say, I'm glad that you're in prison [Jen], because I may not have had the guts to do it otherwise."
Heather Gay stayed away from social media to cover Jen Shah's assault
After 'RHOSLC' Season 4 star Heather Gay's black eye was revealed, she claimed that she stayed away from social media for six months to avoid having to address it. However, as the investigation got bigger and Bravo production got involved, she and Jen agreed that they would just continue to deny anything unless the show had proof.
To cover the drama, Heather made up several cover stories about how she got the black eye and the lies led to an outcry. She also alleged that the Bravo production told her to cover up a crime in some capacity.
The reality star revealed that she 'started freaking out' when people started talking about lawyers getting involved over the black eye because "all I had was that she had told me she had done it and that I said I'd cover for her."
Heather got emotional and claimed about Jen, "She was never my friend. She pretended to be my friend and I fell for it and I will not fall for a pretend friend again." She added, "I was a different person then. I was worried about the retaliation." She admitted that she was still worried about the retaliation.
How did 'RHOSLC' Season 4 star Heather Gay get a black eye?
During 'RHOSLC' Season 3 Reunion Part 3, Bravo played unseen footage of Heather Gay and Jen Shah after the night the latter gave the former a black eye. The producers showed security footage from Heather's San Diego hotel room.
The audio was not clear in the video but the reality star claimed that Jen said, "I can't believe I did that to you." Heather revealed, "Honestly, it was a lot of drinking, and the next morning, I woke up with a black eye."
She added, "I knew I'd gotten it from Jen [Shah]. I didn't know how, but I knew I'd gotten it from Jen." However, Jen has previously denied Heather's allegations about a black eye.
'The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' Season 4 Reunion is now available to stream on Peacock.