Brandi Glanville Sets the Record Straight on LeAnn Rimes' Health Crisis

When Brandi Glanville, 53, took to her“Brandi Unfiltered”podcast on Thursday, May 7, she wasn’t holding back—but she also wasn’t taking shots. Instead, the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star became an unlikely defender of LeAnn Rimes, shutting down speculation that the 9-1-1: Nashville actress was faking or exaggerating her ongoing health struggles.

The timing matters here. Just the day before, on Wednesday, May 6, Glanville had fired off a cheeky tweet suggesting that Rimes—who is married to Glanville’s ex-husband Eddie Cibrian, 52—had taken everything from her:“husband, kids, boobs, bronco, random illnesses.”It read like classic reality TV shade, the kind that fuels tabloid headlines and Twitter discourse. But the podcast episode that followed told a more layered story.

Glanville explained that Rimes is genuinely dealing with multiple health issues, including laryngitis and a dental situation that’s keeping her up at night—literally. According to Glanville, their shared sons (whom she has with Cibrian) have been updating her on the household’s serious health regimen: a hyperbaric oxygen chamber in the dining room, a dedicated wellness room full of machines for lymphatic drainage, and a schedule built around protecting Rimes’voice. These aren’t the actions of someone who’s casually pretending to be sick. This is the lifestyle of someone whose career depends entirely on her instrument.“She’s doing everything to protect her voice because that is her everything,”Glanville said, acknowledging that dental work directly impacts vocal cords and pitch—a real concern for a professional singer.

The story took another turn when rumors swirled that Rimes was being considered for a Real Housewives of Beverly Hills spot. Rimes quickly shut that down via social media, making clear that playing Dixie on 911 Nashville was drama enough. She wasn’t chasing a housewife title, and the speculation faded as quickly as it appeared. But Glanville’s podcast commentary—delivered with humor but genuine understanding—revealed something the tweet never could: empathy for what Rimes is actually enduring. Sometimes the punchline and the truth live in different spaces, and this story proved that a sarcastic jab and sincere support aren’t mutually exclusive.