Southern Charm’s Venita Aspen Says She Can ‘No Longer Protect’ JT Thomas After Their Romance, Addresses Where They Stand and His Sudden Exit From Show

Venita Aspen revealed where she stands with Jarrett “JT” Thomas during an interview on Monday ahead of the upcoming premiere of Southern Charm season 10.

After the new season’s trailer teased a romance between her and JT, 39, Venita, 31, admitted that things between them began to “blossom” after her split from now-ex-boyfriend Manny, reacted to JT suddenly quitting the show, and said she won’t be protecting him any longer.

“It kind of just naturally happened. There was not one moment in particular that kind of made me go, ‘Oh wow, this is someone I actually like,’” Venita revealed to PopCulture of her romance with JT on December 2. “It just kind of naturally happened, which they always say is the best way to have that type of thing happen. So I was just like, ‘OK, let’s see where this goes.’”

Although Venita admitted the idea of a romance was “daunting,” especially since the majority of the cast had “qualms” with JT, she ignored her better judgment.

“I was risking a lot of friendships in order to say, ‘Hey, I want to have him around. Let’s invite him,’” Venita shared.

But after going to bat for JT during filming, he suddenly quit, leaving her completely stunned.

“I had no idea,” she confirmed. “And as his best friend, you know, I feel like I’m usually in the know on these things.”

In addition to being “in the dark” with JT’s decision to leave the show, Venita also seemed unprepared for him to go public with his new girlfriend, Ali Pereless.

“I have no idea where his head is, what he’s doing, what he’s trying to do. And I just… I wish him the best,” she stated.

That said, Venita doesn’t think it was smart of JT to leave Southern Charm.

“He has always been kind of wary of what to do with the group, what to do with the certain things that people are saying about him, and I’ve always been the person in the background telling him, ‘Hey, you gotta show up. Don’t let them win. Don’t let them take it over. Don’t let them think they have control,’” she explained. “And I think at this point, he let those thoughts take control and he lost it.”

While Venita feels like she lost a “best friend,” she said that after JT distanced himself from the show — and her — she can no longer have his back.

“I just kind of have to let him do his thing at this point. I can’t protect him anymore,” she shared.

Southern Charm season 10 premieres on Thursday, December 5, at 9/8c on Bravo.