Selling Sunset‘s Mary Bonnet was just as shocked as the fans when Nicole Young brought up rumors that Emma Hernan was allegedly sleeping with a married man.
“I don’t want any part of this,” Mary, 44, exclusively told Us Weekly about her initial reaction when Nicole, 38, alluded to the rumors during season 8, which started streaming on Friday, September 6. “Emma is a very sweet girl and I feel bad for her being portrayed like that.”
On the show, Nicole told Mary and Amanza Smith that she heard stories about Emma’s relationship status from a “source.”
“I wish I didn’t know. It involves Emma and that’s all I wanna say,” Nicole said. “ It’s morally upsetting to all of us. It’s just information that could really affect families, marriages and Emma’s reputation.”
Mary told Us that she had “no idea” where the speculation came from, adding, “Emma explained it to me but it was nothing like what Nicole said. So I just feel really bad that she’s going to be put into that light. In my opinion, even if something like that happened, I don’t agree with it. But you don’t do that to the world — you don’t blast someone out like that.”
Nicole never got into specifics – and never told Emma.
“I wouldn’t do anything. Just like I haven’t done anything, I wouldn’t. Because I don’t know anything. That’s why we’re all being awkward and weird about it. But as a married woman, that kind of s—t pisses me off,” Nicole said on the show. “If I were the wife, I’d f—king kill someone. But my husband also would never in a million years. … You know I’m going to get murdered for this. She would literally burn me at the stake.”
Mary maintained that she didn’t know why Nicole was doing this. “We didn’t know she was gonna do that. I don’t think any of us even thought anything about it. So I don’t know why it got brought up. I still don’t remember why it was brought up,” Mary told Us. “But it’s going to cause some problems for sure.”
Mary thought the speculation didn’t match up to who Emma is as a person, saying, “She’s very picky with who she dates. So I can’t imagine it’s true.” According to Mary, Emma has been “extremely upset” since she realized what was said about her on the show.
“I feel bad. She doesn’t deserve to be called out like that,” Mary concluded. “Especially the fact that it’s not true.”
Days before the new episodes of Selling Sunset debuted, Chrishell Stause and Chelsea Lazkani came to Emma’s defense. They publicly dragged Nicole on social media after both screening the episodes in advance.
“Someone needs to take my phone [because] 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬. Are we really still giving air time to LIARS that just want air time??” Chrishell wrote via Instagram Story on August 31. “I will NEVER work on a show with her on it again. I would rather be sued.”
Chrishell, who previously had issues with Nicole, made her stance on the issue very clear.
“Disclaimer when you watch: Just know she spews a disgusting lie about a bestie that is categorically FALSE and SUPER damaging,” she added. “It is NOT TRUE. [and] @done_and_done_productions you are disgusting for blindsiding [my friend] with this to see with the world instead of letting her at LEAST defend herself with the TRUTH.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea accused Nicole of lying for the show, writing via Instagram, “@itsnicoleyoung, you are the most diabolical piece of [trash] I’ve ever met, you wanna start a rumor about Emma because all the rumors about you are true. OK, let’s see how this works out for you… Spreading lies for views is so damaging.”
Emma has yet to address the situation but she has thanked Chrishell and Chelsea for their support.
Selling Sunset is currently streaming on Netflix.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
