Brittany Cartwright has taken "many years" to find the courage to leave her "toxic" marriage.
Brittany Cartwright has denied her marriage split was a publicity stunt
The 'Vanderpump Rules' star filed for divorce from Jax Taylor - the father of her three-year-old son Cruz - last week after they split earlier this year and she's blasted speculation the separation is just a "publicity stunt.
Speaking on her and Jax's 'When Reality Hits' podcast, Brittany said: "It's taken me many, many years to get to this point where I've gained enough courage to strength to do what was best for me, get myself out of a toxic relationship and ultimately see my worth.
"It's been very difficult, but I'm stronger than ever and my motivation is my son, my Cruzy, who deserves a happy and healthy mommy."
The 35-year-old beauty also confirmed a major change to the podcast.
She said: "Moving forward, Jackson and I will be doing the podcast separately."
In her divorce filing, Brittany listed January 24 as their date of separation, and she cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the breakdown of their relationship.
She is seeking primary legal and physical custody of Cruz and is open to visitation for Jax.
The reality TV star also wants to block the ability of the court to award spousal support to either her or her estranged husband.
The celebrity duo announced their split earlier this year.
However, Brittany subsequently admitted that a reconciliation remained possible.
The reality TV star - who tied the knot in 2019 - told Us Weekly: "There’s definitely a chance. But I won’t waste my time and get back into a toxic situation.
"Now the veil has been lifted and I see how much I was always cleaning up Jax’s messes. I’m thrown in the middle of all these fights and constantly forced to apologise for him in the media and to friends. It’s hard."
Brittany revealed that she was feeling "really strong" and that she was financially independent, too, after splitting from Jax.
She said: "I feel really strong.
"At the beginning, I was freaking out. I came to Los Angeles for Jax and we moved in together immediately, so I’ve never been here by myself. But now I have my own friends and my own money."