Bronwyn Newport recently shed light on her decision to announce her separation during the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City reunion. In an emotional disclosure, she hinted at the moment her perspective shifted. She also discussed the challenges and hopes she shares with her ex, Todd Bradley, who has expressed disdain for the show yet remains hopeful for a collaborative future.

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From the time Bronwyn joined RHOSLC, viewers have scrutinized Todd’s behavior towards her, particularly given their 26-year age difference. During the reunion, Bronwyn’s tearful revelation of their separation caught attention, although she assured fans that, given the circumstances, they are managing to stay on amicable terms.

In an interview with PEOPLE, Bronwyn elaborated on her choice to go public with the split during the reunion. “We were aware that a separation was inevitable, and I took a lot of time to consider my approach. Ultimately, I decided to just be straightforward about it and ‘rip the Band-Aid off,’ so to speak,” she explained. “My hope is to protect Todd from further scrutiny as he prefers to stay out of the limelight.”

Speaking to PEOPLE, Bronwyn addressed her decision to reveal the split at the reunion.

“So we knew a separation was coming, and I thought really carefully about [my wish] to just say it and rip the Band-Aid off: ‘This is not working,’” Bronwyn recalled. “And I want people to leave him alone. He doesn’t want to be talked about.”

“Todd’s want would be that we never talk about it at all because he doesn’t want to be talked about,” she added. “So the reunion to me was the next time I was going to see the women. And I felt like since they had lived through kind of some of the breakdown of what was going on and they had maybe lived through a version of me that was more upset or more defensive or harder to get along with, that they deserved that information.”

Bronwyn said it’s also her “job” to “share my life.”

“I signed up to share my life, and this is going to be a huge part of how my life plays out,” she explained. “Even the day that I sat the reunion and said that we were separated, you know, Todd’s hope … then and even still now is obviously for us to figure out a way together forward.”

She also told the outlet that she and Todd are still living in the same house.

“We might be the only people in the world who don’t have young children who are nesting,” said the star. “But we’re doing it for our dogs.”

Later on, Bronwyn recalled what first drew her to him.

“One of the most wonderful things I think about Todd, something you don’t see on the show, is how charismatic he is,” she said. “Todd really adores people and is so helpful. If he knows somebody or he knows something that can help you, he’s going to do it for you. And I just remember early on thinking he must be an amazing son, a great dad, a wonderful brother, a fabulous friend. And for me, that’s really important how you interact with other people.”

“I know everyone thinks I must have had daddy issues growing up because I married somebody older,” Bronwyn added. “I had a lovely, wonderful dad and a great relationship with him, but Todd was somebody who I bounced a lot of ideas off of and who really cared for me.”

But she stated that Todd “hates the show,” and the series “brought out a weird dynamic” in their relationship. According to Bronwyn, watching the episodes back was “really eye-opening.”

“I didn’t like how needy I was, and I didn’t like how upset or defensive I was. It wasn’t a relationship that I felt like I wanted to be going forward with anymore,” said Bronwyn, who explained that they began the separation “quietly” and “slowly.”

“[BravoCon] was maybe the first time that I felt like if he wasn’t [in my life], I was going to be okay,” she went on. “It was just this pressure point of trying to explain this life that I was living to him when he was not there, and he wasn’t understanding it. [After BravoCon I] felt okay and happy and fine and like there were things for me in the future.”

She even expressed interest in one day going on double dates with Todd and “somebody new for him in the future.”