Why ‘Real Housewives’ Star Shannon Beador Is Leaving Her Husband David

“Real Housewives of Orange County” star Shannon Beador hasn’t made her marriage troubles with husband David Beador a secret on the Bravo series. While it appeared the couple had solved the worst of their issues several years ago after battling through his affair on the show, the pair has now decided to separate.

People Magazine reports that Shannon and David ended their relationship over a month ago after 17 years of marriage. Shannon is said to have shared the news with her “Real Housewives” co-stars while filming the current season’s reunion special on Friday.

“It’s heartbreaking for me and my daughters that this is the road that had to be taken but it’s the only way,” Shannon told People. “I felt alone in my marriage. You can do what you can to keep your family together, but you have to have willing parties. You need two people to make a marriage work, and that just wasn’t happening in our relationship.”

After David’s affair was revealed in Season 10, Shannon and David moved past their issues and renewed their vows in a surprise ceremony in front of family and friends in an August 2016 episode. However, their happiness was didn’t last. Recently, viewers have seen Shannon struggles with her weight and her upset over David’s insistence to spend time away from the home.

“This is not the path that I thought that I would be taking,” Shannon told People. “To come from the highest of the highs last year to go to such a low so quickly? At the beginning when it starts to crumble, you think, ‘This is just a phase. It’ll get better.’ But it never did.”

Shannon has not yet addressed her split from David on social media. Her last Instagram post is from Tuesday and shows her posing with co-star Tamra Judge during the cast’s trip to Iceland.

Post-split, Shannon says she wants to be a “good role model” for her and David’s three daughters, Sophie, 15, and 12-year-old twins Stella and Adeline.

“Three years ago I was proud of what I showed them, because I fought for keeping my family together after infidelity. As the last year went by, it’s been extremely difficult and painful to watch the show, because clearly I was in denial about what was going on in my marriage,” Shannon explained.

She went on to state she felt their living enviornment was “unhealthy” for her and her girls. “They deserve a happy and joyful home, and I am providing that for them now,” she said.

While she and David are spending time together for the sake of their daughters, the “Real Housewives” star says she’s also spending time on herself. “At this point it’s scary, when you’re 53 years old, to be out there on your own. But I intend to show myself and my daughters that it can be done,” she said. “I’m ready to get the old Shannon back, that’s for sure.”