Natalie Maguire acknowledges the rationale behind Lisa Vanderpump’s decision to suspend her from SUR following a fiery confrontation at the renowned West Hollywood establishment.

“It’s certainly not a great feeling, to be honest,” Maguire, 27, exclusively shared with Us Weekly in anticipation of the Vanderpump Rules season 12 premiere on Tuesday, December 2. “I was aware that I deserved it and saw it coming.”

As SUR’s outspoken head bartender, she elaborated, “It had been a particularly tough week. I had also received a reprimand from Nathalie Zapata [the restaurant’s co-owner], so I was prepared to face the consequences. However, I wanted Vanderpump to understand that I felt there were reasons behind my actions.”

Maguire further admitted that the suspension was “completely justified,” while revealing her anxiety about the impending meeting with Vanderpump to address her behavior.

Meanwhile, Lisa Vanderpump has shed light on the selection process for the new Vanderpump Rules cast in the upcoming season 12 reboot. “I believed that Vanderpump Rules was at its peak, earning Emmy nominations and enjoying high ratings. But I felt we had fully explored the story, and at some point, it was time to […]

“I totally understood why she was upset,” she added. “I’m working on filtering myself.”

Episode one of the Vanderpump Rules reboot opened with SUR security footage showing Maguire nearly attacking her ex-boyfriend, also a SUR employee, and getting into a verbal fight with the restaurant’s manager, Demy Selem.

Viewers watched as Vanderpump sat down with Maguire for a one-on-one following her return to work — and she’s not the only SUR employee that Lisa scolded.

Resident pot-stirrer Marcus Johnson and loveable Venus Binkley also got a tongue-lashing for drinking on the job. Their behavior caused Vanderpump to call an emergency meeting with staff, where she laid down the law.

“When she called me out, I instantly started tearing up, and I had a heart attack,” Binkley, 27, revealed to Us when asked about his reaction to the situation. “I couldn’t process anything at that point. I blacked out. It was so embarrassing.”

He shared, “The worst feeling in the world is when your mom’s mad at you, but it’s even worse when Lisa Vanderpump is mad at you.”

Johnson, 35, however, didn’t feel the same.

He told Us that while he “respected everyone’s disappointment in me,” he’s “not going to let it change how I behave at work.”

The new cast of Vanderpump Rules is determined to surpass their predecessors in the first look at season 12, which has everything from fights in SUR’s back alley to conversations about penis pumps. Bravo released the official trailer on Monday, November 3, which showed Lisa Vanderpump introducing the next era of SURvers. “It is funny, […]

“I was just someone who got caught in the moment. This is a party all the time. I was just not slick enough that day to get my partying off,” Johnson added.

Selem also shared her thoughts on the footage showing Johnson drinking at work.

“I was furious,” the SUR manager said about the situation. “I’m not stupid. I know people are sneaking drinks. I’m not an idiot.”

She admitted it’s “hard being a boss to your friends.”

“That was definitely my biggest challenge,” Selem told Us. “There’s cameras everywhere filming, but I’m still focused on making sure the restaurant is running and making sure tables are happy.”

New episodes of Vanderpump Rules season 12 air on Tuesdays at 9 pm ET/PT on Bravo and stream the next day on Peacock.