Dolores Catania is speaking out after her close friend Liz McGraw shocked fans by leaving The Real Housewives of Rhode Island after just one season.
Liz recently announced that she would not be returning for RHORI Season 2, despite being one of the most talked-about cast members from the show’s first season. The news surprised many fans, especially because so many major storylines centered around Liz.
Following her exit, some viewers speculated that Liz left because of alleged “skeletons” in her closet, while others wondered if the intense online criticism she received after Season 1 played a role.
Now, Dolores is defending Liz and seemingly hinting that the social media backlash may have been a major factor in her decision to step away.
During a conversation on Two Ts in a Pod, Tamra Judge brought up Liz’s exit.
“Let’s talk about Liz. She announced that she is indeed leaving the show,” Tamra said.
Dolores immediately made it clear that Liz is in a good place.
“She is very happy,” Dolores responded.
Tamra then pointed out how unusual it is for a Housewife to leave after only one season.
“I don’t know of any Housewife that came on for one season and decided to quit,” Tamra said.
That is when Dolores brought up the reaction Liz received from viewers.
“She got hammered on social media,” Dolores said. “What did she do to deserve that?”
Tamra agreed that dealing with that much hate during a first season could be a lot for anyone.
“I would imagine your very first season and getting that kind of hate, it would be very overwhelming,” Tamra said.
But Dolores suggested there was even more to Liz’s story than fans saw on screen.
“It was more than that. Liz does homeless food drives at her dispensary. She’s the most generous person. And I wish that everyone got to see that side.”
Liz accused Jo-Ellen of stirring up drama while pretending to be a good friend. Jo-Ellen, however, has said that her actions came from a good place and that she was trying to get to the truth.
Their falling out became one of the most talked-about storylines of the season and led to strong reactions from viewers online.
Liz has also had to shut down speculation about her exit. Last week, she denied rumors that she left RHORI out of fear of going to “jail” or because of any alleged legal “skeletons.”
Liz said the rumors were “preposterous” and made it clear that she has “never been investigated, nor involved in ANY criminal case.”
When Liz announced her exit, she said she was grateful for the opportunity but wanted to focus on her family, work and passions as filming for Season 2 began.
“I am full of gratitude for the amazing opportunity to appear on this show,” Liz wrote. “As filming for season 2 begins, I have made the decision to take a step back and focus on my family, my work and my passions.”
She added, “The RHORI cast is an amazing group of women who have created something special. I’ll be watching next season and rooting for the continued success of this franchise.”
Andy Cohen also reacted to Liz’s exit, commenting, “The door is always open. Just sayin’!”
Tamra echoed a similar sentiment, previously writing that Liz would be missed and that she hoped to see her return one day.
But according to Dolores, fans did not get to see the full picture of who Liz is.