NEED TO KNOW
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Erika Jayne addressed photos of her holding hands with a man in early July during the latest episode of her and Teddi Mellencamp’s iHeart Radio podcast, Diamonds in the Rough
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Sharing that the pair met at one of Heidi Montag’s shows, where he was acting as security, Jayne opened up about the relationship
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This comes five years after Jayne filed for divorce from her husband of 22 years, Tom Girardi, in 2020
Erika Jayne has a new man in her life!
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 54, offered an update on her love life on the July 30 episode of iHeartRadio’s Diamonds in the Rough podcast, which she co-hosts with Teddi Mellencamp. After Jayne was spotted out hand-in-hand with a mystery man in Los Angeles earlier this month, she revealed more details about the relationship.
“I met someone and we went out on two dates, and then we went to get a manicure-pedicure,” she explained, claiming they “obviously” didn’t know photos were being taken.
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Erika Jayne and John McPhee
Jayne later noted how quickly her personal life “ended up everywhere,” but acknowledged “it’s the price you pay” for being in the public eye.
“What was a nice, private moment and a nice, private thing I was having for myself was ruined,” she admitted.
While Jayne shared that the man, named John McPhee, doesn’t live in L.A., she confirmed that they have spent more time together since their nail salon date.
“It was really nice,” she said of their dynamic. “Like, I feel comfortable holding this person’s hand, and he’s a nice man. I haven’t been seen with anybody in five years. So this is a really nice person, and I enjoy my time with him.”
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Jayne filed for divorce from personal injury attorney Tom Girardi in 2020 following 22 years of marriage.
Months later, the 86-year-old was slapped with multiple lawsuits, accusations of embezzlement and a bankruptcy case, leading to speculation about the intentions behind their split and Jayne’s involvement in the legal drama.
She has maintained she had no knowledge of the crimes and has not faced any indictments, and in March 2025, a federal jury found Girardi guilty on four counts of wire fraud. In 2021, he was also diagnosed with dementia and late-onset Alzheimer’s.
Jayne explained that she knew of McPhee from listening to his past appearances on podcasts.
McPhee is a retired U.S. Army Special Operations Sergeant Major who currently works as Heidi Montag’s private security (and is the godfather of her and Spencer Pratt’s son Gunner). Reflecting on her first interaction with the veteran, Jayne revealed they had a chance encounter at one of The Hills alum’s shows in London recently.
“It was random because she went on, and then I went on after her,” Jayne recalled. “I thought, ‘That’s that guy from the podcast. I’m gonna walk up and say hello.’ So it did. I walked up and I introduced myself and I was like, ‘Hey, my name is Erika, and I’ve seen a couple of podcasts. I’m a fan.’”
Theo Wargo/Getty; John McPhee/TikTok
Erika Jayne; Heidi Montag and John McPhee
When Mellencamp joked about wishing she knew about McPhee sooner, Jayne quipped, “Listen, it’s a friend. It’s a nice thing.”
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With nearly a million followers on Instagram and over 380,000 followers on TikTok, McPhee has built a large social media presence.
Nicknamed “John ‘Shrek’ McPhee” and “the Sheriff of Baghdad,” McPhee regularly shares snippets of his life with his fans. In a video posted on June 3, he documented his day as Montag’s bodyguard on tour.
“It’s all ‘Heidiwood’ behind this door,” he teased in one clip. “That’s why I’m standing here. I’m not gonna let you in.”
He captioned the video: “The best personal security you’ll ever see.”
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