Because Carmella Garcia split from ex-boyfriend Danny Hampel shortly after The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 20 wrapped filming, she opened up about their breakup for the first time on the show at the two-part reunion, which premiered on Nov. 5.
How to Watch
The Real Housewives of Orange County airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo. Episodes stream next day on Peacock.
As the RHOC Season 20 finale had revealed, Carmella and Danny broke up “for good” sometime around spring 2026, and she confirmed the news to host Andy Cohen during Reunion Part 1. “It’s not easy, because there was a lot of love there, but it’s not healthy for me,” Carmella said.
When Andy questioned if “something new” happened to cause her and Danny to split after dating on and off for 10 years, Carmella also shared, “I couldn’t get truth from him, and without having that trust, there was no way that we could possibly rebuild.”
Why did Carmella Garcia and Danny Hampel break up?
Carmella previously detailed on RHOC that there were instances of “infidelity” on Danny’s part in the past, leading to lingering trust issues. Post-split, she explained at the reunion that she “was resentful” of her ex, adding, “Each new lie would just take me back to square one. You rebuild trust by telling the damn truth.”
When RHOC castmate Shannon Storms Beador praised her for “advocating for what is best” for her in ending the long-term relationship with Danny, Carmella further unpacked how she’d ultimately decided to choose herself, which was something she hadn’t necessarily done much of in the past.Â
“I don’t allow myself to feel things, and I suppressed things for the last decade,” the mother of four explained. “I always feel like as long as everyone else is OK, like, I don’t matter. And I need to matter. And I need to set that example to my girls and to my boys. The reason that I did this show, like, it allowed me to choose myself, and I don’t often choose myself. … It’s cathartic.”
RELATED: RHOC Season 20 Reunion: Everything to Know (Seating Chart, Spoilers & More)
Weeks prior to the reunion taping, Carmella also appeared on the Sept. 17 episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. When Andy pointed out that it sounded like she couldn’t move past “Danny’s indiscretions,” the newest RHOC cast member replied, “It was ongoing, so it can only end in one place.”
Where do Carmella Garcia and Danny Hampel stand today?
As Carmella further shared during her September WWHL interview, she and Danny had not spoken in several months. She added that Danny had been in touch with her four children — Presley, 18, Jason, 17, Jax, 15, and Faith, 14 — but noted that they had “very little” contact, however.
“It’s very sad for them,” Carmella said on WWHL, referring to her kids with estranged husband Jeff Garcia. “But I mean, it’s the natural place that it needs to go.”
As for her own feelings on her and Danny’s breakup, Carmella added, “I think that it’s a range of emotions. I have moments of feeling empowered and then moments of feeling heartbroken. And I think it’s just par for the course, and you just gotta keep moving.”
Is Carmella Garcia dating anyone today?
No. When a WWHL audience member asked a “newly single” Carmella to name the three qualities she’s looking for in her next man, she responded, “That’s tough. I haven’t gotten that far yet, but I’m looking for like an accountant, like a nerd, somebody who can do taxes, that can help around the house.”
Previously, Carmella also revealed in an exclusive Bravo Insider interview, “Someday I’m going to date again,” before going on to name retired NFL quarterback Tom Brady as her dream man.
RELATED: Where Is The Real Housewives of Orange County Filmed?
However, while explaining why she still has not divorced her estranged husband, Jeff, who also happens to be a retired NFL QB, on The Real Housewives of Orange County After Show, Carmella added, “I’m not getting remarried. … Â It’s too much liability.”
Don’t miss details on Carmella’s WWE career before she joined RHOC.
