Carlton Gebbia made quite a stir when she joined the fourth season The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The British interior designer only lasted for one season but managed to create a long-lasting impression for fans of the reality franchise.
A source told People that Carlton, alongside her co-star Joyce Giraud, “just didn’t resonate as much as the other ladies did. The fans didn’t respond to them, so it didn’t make sense to keep them around.”
The original cast members of RHOBH did not accept Carlton right away, as she immediately butted heads with Kyle Richards. Gebbia is mostly remembered for her strong connection to the Wiccan religion and her liberal views of sex.
What Went Wrong For Carlton Gebbia On The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills
Back in season 4 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, the show went through some cast changes. Taylor Armstrong and Adrienne Maloof left the show, leaving a gap to be filled by a new housewife.
On paper, Carlton brought something new to the show. As a practicing Wiccan (a Pagan religion), Carlton's faith caused tensions among the cast. Kyle Richards believed that Carlton put a spell on her computer that changed the screensaver from a family picture to the word “bigot.” Fellow housewife, Joyce Giraud also believed her family was affected by Carlton’s religious beliefs after her husband became ill during filming.
The combination of a practicing Wiccan who was sexually liberal and proudly boasted about her private life was a little too much for the cast of wealthy Californian-based women. This clash did produce one of the most memorable moments of the series, with Kyle mistaking Carlton's pentagram tattoo as a Jewish star and creating a season-long feud.
Sadly, the former actress never made friends and failed to bond with her colleagues. Kyle refers to season 4 as the "season I like to pretend never happened.”
“That was just weird. Everything she did was just so friggin freaky."
Kyle explained during an episode of Watch What Happens Live: After Show. “I’m still convinced that she put a spell on me because bees always torture me and come in the most random places.”
On the Watch What Happens Live: After Show with Andy Cohen, he explained why Carlton was a one-season wonder and why she never connected with the other housewives.
"I think Carlton and Joyce would’ve been great on their own but the problem is that they didn’t have existing connections to the group, I think that was part of the reason we all kind of realized that it was a great time to bring in Lisa Rinna because not only she’s such a great character, but she was really connected to all of you.”
Carlton Gebbia filmed 22 episodes of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 4 between 2013 and 2014.
Who Was Carlton Gebbia Before Becoming Joining Real Housewives?
Carlton Gebbia grew up in England and South Africa before moving to California in her early 20s. While she originally came to the US to pursue her acting career, she soon learned she could not act. Despite her self-deprecation, Carlton appeared in The Young and Restless and Suddenly Susan.
Instead of pursuing a career in acting, Carlton started working in the securities industry, which is how she met her husband, David Gebbia, with whom she has three children.
"I don’t think I took it seriously enough. I was honing the craft, but I don’t think I was completely committed to it. I did try to go back to it after I had children but I had already made that transition without even knowing. Not to say that you cannot act and be a mother, but you have to be an amazing actress."
David is a successful businessman with a financial services firm, a sports management firm, and a construction company. After getting married, Carlton dabbled in interior design. She showcased her unique interior decor tastes in her Gothic mansion, which included an adult dungeon, gargoyles, religious imagery and a cross-shaped swimming pool.
What Happened To Carlton Gebbia After Her Short Stint On Real Housewives?
Back in 2014, after Calron Gebbia was let go from RHOBH, she called it a “blessing in disguise.”
“I sort of look at it as a blessing in disguise because my husband does have a project in the works, a reality show. It’s something that would give me the opportunity to work with him. I was contractually obligated for a three-year deal and if that’s the case, I’m not anymore.”
Carlton and her husband's reality TV show never materialized, and instead, the pair split in 2016. They divorced in 2018 after 18 years of marriage, although the pair stayed amicable. They continued to live together after their split so as not to "destroy and devastate our children."
“We were not prepared to screw it up now just because we fell out of love. We didn’t want to split up the family dynamic. What we do know is, for our family, that it works right now. And it may not be for everyone, but for us, it’s positive, and it’s actually healing for us.”
Following Gebbia’s divorce, her Gothic castle was put on the market and listed by Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles realtor Josh Altman. The 15,000-square-foot mansion was initially listed for $22 million, but eventually, it sold for under $14 million.
Carlton hit headlines in 2017 when her housekeeper sued her for physical abuse. The housekeeper, who also acted as a chauffeur, nanny, and assistant, claimed the former Real Housewife was always under the influence of alcohol and verbally, mentally, and physically abused her. Carlton later denied these allegations, alleging the former employee sued her due to a dispute about missing jewelry. The housekeeper was fired, and no other allegations appeared in the press.
Although Carlton still posts on social media, giving followers a glimpse into her family life and spirituality, she has kept a low profile since her stint on reality TV.
