Southern Charm’s Shep Rose grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth, but he hasn’t always had it easy. Since Season 1, viewers have watched Shep navigate a life that Peter Pan would have been jealous of. Between perfect beach days, trips to the family estate, and partying on King Street, it was hard to notice that, at times, Shep was really unhappy. But the 44-year-old is finally opened up about his “dark years” and sharing how he made it out.
Shep Rose wasn’t always happy
While at Bravo HQ, Shep chatted with Southern Charm’s Director of Photography, Matt Shelly. The photographer who began working with Shep during Season 5 was surprised that the reality TV star had a visceral reaction to the information. Shep joked with his close friend and confidant, “Those were the dark years. No, it was. Like, Season one, two, and probably three, you’re like, wide-eyed, it’s collaborative, and that’s the way it should be.” For those who don’t remember, that particular time was a season of change for the franchise.
Cameran Eubanks, one of Shep’s closest friends on Southern Charm, was preparing for her first baby. The cast also enjoyed a nice break in Hilton Head, SC. However, one episode showed Shep having a serious conversation with his mother. He knew his family expected him to get married and settle down, but he was not ready for that kind of commitment. The conversation was honest and took a bit of courage since Shep was aware he might be disappointing his parents. At the time, it probably didn’t help that Shep’s two close friends, Craig Conover and Austen Kroll, were loved up.
Shep Rose reveals his favorite Southern Charm episode
Even though Shep might have been going through a rough time, he quickly changed the tune of his interview, sharing one of his all-time favorite episodes. It turns out that one of his top picks is Season 5, Episode 6. The Bravo blurb for the episode notes, “Naomie prepares to open her family’s new restaurant, and finally comes to terms with the fact that she isn’t over Craig; Patricia and Craig have a heart-to-heart; Cameran tries an old-fashioned trick to get baby Palmer to make an appearance.” Shep recalled trying to drive Cameran down the street they know call “labor lane” in hopes of inducing her.
Shep smiled as he revealed, “I love some of the early stuff, like when Cameran and I were driving on the cobblestone road to try to induce her pregnancy. That was very funny and sweet.” Matt said they “always wanted to make it look the best that we can.” When asked about making it to the milestone tenth year, Shep had a few thoughts. “I always told people, it’s like a series of outrageous, happy accidents. Something always happens, and the secret sauce to our show is that there is no secret sauce,” he revealed. “It’s just like trust that someone or something’s gonna go haywire.”
Shep Rose is making life changes
Shep seemed to be still stuck in the dark times during BravoCon 2023. During the Season 9 reunion, Shep admitted to Andy Cohen and the cast that he had an issue with alcohol. He told the Southern Charm cast, “I’m at a crossroads. I was out of control, drunk in Las Vegas. And I scared the sh*t out of me. I was blacked out. I can’t even tell you what happened at BravoCon.” The conversation became very serious as Craig told his friend, “This road that you’re on, ends with a cliff. I can’t be in that car anymore. That’s why I didn’t go to that meeting.” Craig confessed, “After BravoCon, it’s dark, but I was like, ‘He’s going to ruin his life, and I have to be OK with that because we’ve been here before.’”
After the reunion, Shep made a pilgrimage to Costa Rica hoping to make a lifestyle change. At the time, he told People “I was on my couch in a ball and wondering what the F just happened, and was really mad at myself,” Shep recalled. “There was no giant incidents or anything like that, but I could tell that people weren’t all that enchanted with my time in Las Vegas, and I wasn’t either,” he continued. “Things had felt like they were coming to a head, and I was a little frightened and didn’t know what to do and who to talk to about it other than immediate family.” Luckily, it looks like Shep’s dark days are behind him and fans are looking forward to seeing what Season 10 brings.
You can watch Southern Charm on Thursdays on Bravo.
