Tom Schwartz Excited For ‘Rebirth’ As Newest Cast Member On ‘The Valley’

Tom Schwartz is one of the newest cast members to join Bravo’s hit reality series, “The Valley,” and he couldn’t be more excited about his next chapter.

For those unfamiliar, Tom Schwartz was one of the marquee players of the original “Vanderpump Rules,” which also consisted of cast members Tom Sandoval, Jax Taylor, Stassi Schroeder, and Scheana Shay.

Speaking with BravoTV during a recent Q&A, Schwartz said his return to Bravo “feels so good,” adding that returning to the small screen as part of “The Valley” truly “feels like a rebirth in the most organic way.”

“It doesn’t feel like I’m casted on a new show, you know what I mean? It feels like they just picked up cameras with a different group of friends who I all know and love,” he said.

Season 3 of “The Valley” kicks off on April 1, 2026, and will feature many of the first two seasons’ OGs, such as Brittany Cartwright, Kristen Doute, Danny Booko, Nia Booko, Jason Caperna, Janet Caperna, Jasmine Goode, Jesse Lally, Michelle Saniei, and Zack Wickham.

It’s been some time since Bravo watchers have gotten an in-depth look into Schwartz’s life since being fired from “VPR.”

According to him, in “The Valley,” viewers will see an entirely different side of the bar owner.

“I’m starting life over in my 40s, and you get to see that, how that looks,” he said. “And, also, you get to see me in the early stages of kind of falling in love, which is super intimate.”

Schwartz’s season 3 bio teases that cameras will also capture the veteran reality star as he navigates drama emerging in his relationships with his longtime friends.

“After a few tumultuous years, Tom is eager to settle down and find his forever person, even testing the waters within the friend group,” the bio read. “When a promising romantic interest comes into play, his friends question the validity of the relationship and his dating choices, creating friction for him in the friend group.”

A previous report from The Blast reveals that Schwartz wasn’t so sure about joining the “Valley” cast in a full-time capacity. Last year, the Bravo staple said that he believed producers were trying to decide if the show really needed more players.

“… they want to keep — this is my interpretation — ‘The Valley’ pure,” he said. “I think it is good the way it is.”

The network decided to go in a different direction for the next round of episodes, and after catching the season 3 super teaser online, Schwartz posted on Instagram to celebrate the special occasion.

“Grateful to be back in your living rooms (acting a fool) PS I MISSED YOU GUYS,” he wrote.

Another report from The Blast details Schwartz’s complicated relationship with one of his best friends, Sandoval.

On “Vanderpump Rules,” the pair were filmed opening two bars, “TomTom” and “Schwartz & Sandy’s.”

The latter, however, was forced to close following a decline in bar traffic due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the backlash Sandoval received after being exposed for cheating on his partner of 10 years, Ariana Madix, with her then-best friend.

“Unfortunately, the current climate for this business is pretty rough,” Schwartz said in 2024. “Recovering from all the negativity post-scandal wasn’t easy, and the slimmer margins post-COVID made it even harder to bounce back. There’s not a lot of room for error in the restaurant/bar business.”

“It’s already a tough business, and the damage from relentless negative press over the last year made it even harder,” he added. “It was difficult not to feel resentful and bitter, but eventually, we had to let it go — no more replaying what went wrong.”

While Schwartz acknowledged that he and Sandoval would always be tight due to their history, he also admitted he was harboring “deep-rooted frustrations” over their failed business venture.

One Bravo cast member viewers shouldn’t expect to see in the next season of “The Valley” is Jax Taylor.

According to The Blast, Taylor walked away from the series following season 2 to focus on himself and his personal struggles, which he previously admitted involved cocaine and alcohol.

“After an incredibly challenging year and many honest conversations with my team and producers, I’ll be stepping away from the next season of The Valley,” he said. “Right now, my focus needs to be on my sobriety, my mental health, and coparenting. Taking this time is necessary for me to become the best version of myself — especially for our son, Cruz.”