Photo: Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
Vicki Gunvalsoncan count on her friends for support amid ex-fiancéSteve Lodge’s engagement.
PEOPLE broke the news ofLodge’s engagement with girlfriend Janis Carlsonon Monday. The 63-year-old former police officer, who recentlyran for governor in California, proposed to Carlson, 37, late last month.
“I did ask Janis on December 20th if she would become Mrs. Steve Chavez Lodge, and she happily agreed. We will be married in April 2022,” he said in a statement. “We are both very excited, incredibly happy, totally in love and look forward to our life together.”
Lodge, whowent Instagram official with now-fiancé Carlson on Christmas, will be getting married for the fourth time.
Steve Lodge and Janis Carlson.Courtesy Steve Lodge
Andy Cohenhoped for theReal Housewives of Orange Countyalum to find love in 2022. “If @vgunvalson doesn’t find a GREAT guy this year, it won’t be a good year,” Cohen, 53,tweetedon Monday. “She deserves it. #FullLoveTankForVG.”
Gunvalson’s close pal and formerRHOCcostarTamra Judgealso commented on the news, saying on her Instagram Story that the Coto Insurance CEO “dodged the lodge.”
Gunvalson reacted to the news as well, tellingPage Sixshe didn’t “want to give [Steve] any more publicity” because he’s “a fame whore.”
PEOPLE has reached out to Gunvalson for comment.
Vicki Gunvalson and Steve Lodge.Astrid Stawiarz/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty
Lodge’s engagement to Carlson comes three months after his split from Gunvalson was announced. The former pairgot engagedin April 2019 after three years of dating and sheconfirmed the breakupin September.
“The time has come for Steve and I to move forward or move on and we are …. moving on,” she wrote on Instagram at the time. “There is no fault with either person, we are just going in different directions. I wish him the best life has to offer and to be happy, and he has wished the same for me.”
Less than a month later, Gunvalson accused Lodge of using her to gain notoriety and claimed Lodge was dishonest about his dating life.
“He used me, he lied to me. He’s been dating a 36-year-old and is not what he portrays himself to be,” she replied on Instagram to a fan who asked for details on the split. “No Christian man would do what he’s done.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
In a second comment, she added: “He’s been flaunting around my town in OC making out in public places. It’s disgusting.”
Lodge denied her allegations, claiming that Gunvalson was spreading “absolute lies.”
“Vicki and I ended our engagement and relationship in December of 2020. I did this in person verbally and explained it to her in writing,” he said. “We had not been in an intimate relationship since September of 2020. I have been living in Puerto Vallarta in my own condo, not hers since the beginning of 2021. We remained friends, but it was clear to me Vicki was still wanting more, which I told her was not possible.”
Lodge continued, “I wanted to move on with my life and I could not do that with Vicki. I’m sorry that Vicki can not accept this, but it was time. The absolute lies she is now spreading on social media is very disappointing and disingenuous, to say the least. But I can not say I’m surprised. She should not be dragging Tamra or anyone else into her lies. With that being said, I still wish her all the best.”
Gunvalson was previously married to Michael J. Wolfsmith from 1982 to 1991 and Donn Gunvalson from 1994 to 2014.
source: people.com
