Brooks Ayers Calls ‘Real Housewives Of Orange County’ Cancer Controversy ‘Quite Ridiculous’

Brooks Ayers is speaking out one last time on the controversy surrounding his alleged cancer diagnosis. The former boyfriend of “Real Housewives of Orange County” star Vicki Gunvalson made headlines after speculation that he might be feigning the potentially fatal illness. Brooks claims he isn’t a liar, but was “wrongfully positioned” on the Bravo series.

In a sit-down with Entertainment Tonight, Vicki’s ex claimed he learned about his cancer diagnosis prior to filming for Season 10. He knew this information would be a point of contention for him on the series, as many of the women had already had negative perceptions of him from previous incidents. Brooks said he spoke to Vicki, 53, about keeping his health problems quiet, allowing them to deal with it without outside scrutiny, but was unsuccessful. He was then approached by several sources outside the show to confirm or deny he had cancer. Brooks said he made the decision to address it in an on-camera statement, hoping it would allow him “to move forward in private.” Once “RHOC” aired, however, the rumors began and both Brooks and Vicki were unable to escape the issue.

“I was approached by a few media outlets to confirm my diagnosis and made a calculated decision to address it via a statement and an on-camera interview in hopes that we would ‘put this to bed’ and allow me to move forward in private,” he said. “When filming began, so did the gossip with the women introducing my diagnosis on the show by referencing a blog and a psychic’s ‘feeling’ that there was no cancer. Looking back, it was quite ridiculous actually.”

Although Brooks wanted to keep his cancer struggle private, there are several aspects of his life he is willing to discuss publicly. In January it was announced he would be moving forward with a tell-all book. Reps for Vicki were asked to comment on Brooks’ book deal by E! Online. They claimed the “RHOC” star was not moved by her ex’s plans to pen a memoir, adding she would not be allowing him to discuss her or their relationship in the book. The pair reached an agreement several months prior that would protect Vicki and her loved ones.

“He can write whatever he wants except he cannot write about Vicki, her career, family or anything else concerning her. Vicki long ago had the boyfriend sign a fiercely written and executed confidentiality agreement,” her reps told E! at the time. “He cannot write about her at all. That was signed in the very beginning [of their relationship].”

Brooks’ cancer drama played a major role in the demise of his relationship with Vicki. Throughout much of Season 10 Vicki was approached by friends on the show who had questions about her then-boyfriend’s diagnosis. At the time Brooks claimed he was battling stage 4 non-Hodgkins lymphoma. The more questions arose, the harder Vicki and Brooks worked to cover their trail. After the season ended, Vicki admitted that she, too, had doubts about Brooks’ disease. It was later revealed that the documents they had presented to the “RHOC” cast had been faked. Vicki denied knowing that beforehand.