Liz McGraw has found true happiness since stepping away from “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island.”
In an exclusive chat with Page Six’s podcast “Virtual Reali-Tea,” Alicia Carmody, a close friend and former co-star, shared insights about McGraw’s unexpected decision to leave the show after just one season. Known affectionately as the Cannabis Queen, McGraw’s departure caught many by surprise.
“I’m truly delighted for her; I’ve heard she’s doing incredibly well,” Carmody, 41, revealed as she discussed her new collaboration with Ziploc’s Lunch Confessions campaign. “It takes a lot to showcase your personal life on such a platform, and I’m sure she faced some online criticism.”
Carmody echoed the views of executive producer Andy Cohen, emphasizing that the option for McGraw to return remains open if she ever decides to rejoin the drama.
For now, Carmody, who is in the throes of filming Season 2 of “RHORI,” expressed that she is respecting McGraw’s need for space and allowing her the peace to thrive.
“I love her from afar. I always will love Liz,” she said.
“We started this [show] together,” she added. “I definitely miss her for certain things, but she had to do what she had to do.”
McGraw announced her exit from “RHORI” last month. She said she was taking “a step back” from the show to focus on her “family,” her “work” and her “passions.”
“The ‘RHORI’ cast is an amazing group of women who have created something special,” she wrote via Instagram at the time. “I’ll be watching next season, rooting for the continued success of this franchise.”
While McGraw didn’t specify exactly why she decided to leave the show, “Real Housewives of Orange County” star Tamra Judge told Page Six that she was “really struggling with the hate on social media.”
Part of that backlash came from McGraw’s clash with Carmody during the debut season of “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island.”
As fans saw on the show, McGraw repeatedly challenged Carmody’s claim that she was homeless as a child. Carmody alleged that she and her mother were homeless after her father left them. Meanwhile, McGraw insisted that, because Carmody was able to move into her grandmother’s house, she was never actually without a home.
While McGraw has known Carmody since she was born, the latter told us that they were not as close as the show made it seem.
“No, I wouldn’t go that far,” Carmody said, when we suggested they were “like sisters.”
According to Carmody, she actually grew up “best friends” with McGraw’s niece since McGraw’s sister and Carmody’s mom were extremely close.
“I feel like that wasn’t talked about enough,” Carmody said.
“Me and Liz weren’t besties but we have [had] a connection since I was born, a little girl. I looked up to her.”
“The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” Season 1 is currently streaming on Peacock.