Kristen Doute is now walking back some of her claims about Michelle Lally allegedly dating another man while being married to Jesse Lally.
During The Valley‘s season 1 finale, which aired on Tuesday, June 4, Kristen addressed past allegations about Michelle having a secret boyfriend. Kristen’s boyfriend, Luke Broderick, was the one who brought up the fact that she claimed on screen that Michelle was in a long term relationship while still married to Jesse.
“When we were getting into the elevator, you said that Michelle had a boyfriend for a year,” he recalled. “I didn’t know that part of the equation.”
Kristen clarified that it wasn’t the whole truth, adding, “Which is not true. If I said that, I meant a year ago. Which you are aware of.”
In a confessional, Kristen referred to her past comments as a “misuse of words.”
“What I said about Michelle is that she had a boyfriend for a year,” she noted. “What I should have said — what I meant to say — is that she had a boyfriend a year ago. Whoops.”
Kristen had regrets about what she did with the information Michelle allegedly told her off screen.
“I feel like a s—t friend for even saying something like that because I was worked up. At the time, Jesse wasn’t being a good husband and he was not carrying his weight in their relationship,” she continued. “So if I am going to be honest, I am not going to f—king blame her for texting with someone.”
Earlier in the season, Kristen accused Michelle of being in contact with another man. Their costar Jax Taylor was also responsible for several rumors about Michelle having a close relationship with a director and sending “sexy pictures” to an unnamed person.
Michelle, for her part, has maintained that she has no idea what Kristen is talking about on The Valley. After filming wrapped in fall 2023, Michelle filed for divorce from Jesse and Bravo was there to capture the aftermath.
As the season was coming to an end, Michelle and Jesse had a final conversation about thetstate of their marriage.
“I’m not abandoning anything. I am trying myself. I am being honest that I lost a lot of those feelings for you,” Michelle told an emotional Jesse. “I don’t want to feel like this. I want to be in love with you the way I used to be. But I don’t know if I can. I’m sorry.”
Jesse started to tear up while discussing his attempts to fix his relationship with Michelle.
“We are on two polar opposite sides. The whole point was to spend the summer working to come to a middle ground and every time I take three steps forward, she takes six steps backwards. It feels like f—king s—t.”
In footage from six months later — after Us Weekly confirmed in March that Jesse and Michelle called it quits — the former couple reunited. Michelle returned to their shared home to with their 4-year-old daughter, Isabella.
“Michelle told me three days after we wrapped that our relationship is over. It made me feel like a f—king idiot. It made me feel like I was blind and blindsided,” Jesse said while Michelle offered her own perspective, “I finally hit that point where I knew I was done and I want to move on and get divorced and start my new life. There’s no question whether or not I made the right choice.”
The pair discussed their current custody plan of “two days on, two days off” with their daughter. Michelle and Jesse are also both looking after their dog, Malibu, while taking steps to divide up their assets and stop working together.
“We need to make a list. It is very simple until it is not and it is very complicated. I would rather make a list. You make everything complicated,” Michelle told Jesse. “That is why it should be in writing.”
Jesse fired back that they were on the same page, adding, “Past and present clients, past and present leads, past and present referral sources. That is very clear.”
According to Jesse, they only didn’t argue about Isabella but they had a mediator for their divorce. “I am not signing anything until I can retain an attorney and go to court to file,” he continued. “I am doing it the way I want to do it.”
Michelle, for her part, was frustrated with how Jesse was delaying their legal split.
“We need to get divorced. In order to get divorced, you need to sign,” she replied. “I don’t care, I just want to get divorced. The sooner the better. There is nothing to discuss. I moved out. I pay half the rent here and I paid for my new place.”
As the duo were getting into a heated argument, their daughter interrupted.
“To be the one who makes the decision to get divorced is incredibly hard. Because one day I will have to tell my daughter that I left her dad,” Michelle told the cameras. “At the end of the day, I am doing what is best for her but I also thought my child would be raised with two parents who are together. Ultimately the dream was no reality.”
Since parting ways, Michelle has found love with boyfriend Aaron Nosler. Jesse, meanwhile, has moved on with girlfriend Lacy Nicole.
The Valley has been renewed for season 2 and all episodes are currently on Peacock.
