Luann de Lesseps is setting the record straight on her rumored romances with Olivier Sarkozy and Joe Bradley.
“I’ve been dating more,” de Lesseps, 58, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting her partnership with Dr. Daryl Gioffre for his Acid-Kicking Alcohol Alkalizer. “I had kind of a dry spell I have to say. And things have kind of turned around.”
Although the Real Housewives of New York City alum is on the prowl, she denied that Mary-Kate Olsen’s ex-husband, Sarkozy, was one of her recent love interests. (Olsen, 37, and Sarkozy, 54, wed in 2015. The actress signed a petition for divorce in April 2020, but the proceedings were paused during the COVID-19 shutdowns. They finalized the separation in January 2021.)
De Lesseps confirmed to Us that she did go “out to lunch” with Sarkozy last month, which is when she was photographed walking arm-in-arm with the French banker.
“It was fun. I’ve known him for a while,” she explained, noting that their March outing to New York City’s Le Bilboquet was innocent. “It’s kind of more of a friendship.”
Two months prior, the reality star sparked romance speculation with Southern Hospitality’s Bradley, 27. “We got along very well,” de Lesseps teased to Us about her connection with Bradley. “We had a good chemistry together.”
Us broke the news in January that de Lesseps and Bradley were “all over each other” at NYC’s The Dream Hotel after taping an episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen together.
In February, Bradley denied hooking up with de Lesseps, but he did tease that he loves MILFs, calling himself the “mayor of MILF city” at his place of work, Republic Garden & Lounge.
“This is the truth, me and Luann, we got a drink and hit it off,” he explained during the season 2 reunion for Southern Hospitality, which aired on February 22. “I did cross a line at the hotel, but I did not kiss her.”
Bradley’s then-girlfriend, Summer House’s Danielle Olivera, was on hand for the flirty encounter in February, which took place around the time they parted ways. Olivera later claimed that she was “99 percent sure” something went on between Bradley and de Lesseps.
“Danielle was there. She was there at the show. She was there when we went out later for drinks at the hotel. And she said that she tracked him on his phone,” de Lesseps explained to Us of the rumored hookup.
She confirmed that Bradley did “come over with friends for drinks” to her house, claiming, “But that was it. Nothing more.”
De Lesseps insisted that Bradley is “a little young” for her, revealing that anyone in their 20s is off limits. “But he’s very attractive and he has a great personality. I really liked him as a person,” she added.
While de Lesseps admitted she isn’t ready for any of her current suitors to meet her adult children, she isn’t ruling out another walk down the aisle.
“I’m a hopeless romantic, so I love, love and I love men. You just never know with me,” she told Us. “There’s no plan to get married again. But like they say in my song, ‘Three times the charm. So, catch me if you can.’”
Luann was married to Alexandre de Lesseps from 1993 to 2009, during which time they welcomed daughter Victoria, 29, and son Noel, 27. She later married Tom D’Agostino Jr. in 2016. The pair split the following year.
Outside of playing the field, Luann is keeping herself busy with her Countess Cabaret show, Marry F Kill! The show has a few more dates in the U.S. through mid-May before Luann is taking her performance international starting in London in June. Get all the details — including ticket information — on her website.
Luann has also been focused on making her 50s the “best decade of my life” with a little help from nutritionist and gut health expert Dr. Daryl Gioffre’s Acid-Kicking Alcohol Alkalizer.
“I suffer with acidity, so I need things that are going to keep my body … basic,” Luann told Us of why she turned to the health care professional. She has since started to use his mocha coffee powder alkalizer to improve her wellness.
Luann revealed, “I put in my coffee every morning, [it] takes the acidity out of coffee good. And it tastes like chocolate, so I can’t live without it.” She also uses the doctor’s alcohol alkalizer drops before drinking.
“If you want to drink wine or any alcohol, you put five or six drops and it takes the acidity out of alcohol,” she said. “I am a huge fan of his products, and he is just a wonderful guy.”
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi