An intimate embrace Amanda Batula shared with West Wilson has shocked viewers and convinced some their romance may have begun long before they sensationally confirmed their relationship.
The latest episode of the Bravo series brought their emotional connection into sharper focus – with a hug Wilson gave Batula after her then-husband got into a fight with another cast member being being a little too close for comfort for viewers.
Fans were stunned after Batula confirmed her secret romance with fellow Summer House castmate Wilson in March, a relationship more complicated than meets the eye.
West, 31, isn’t just any ordinary man in her life – not only is he pals with her ex Kyle Cooke, 43, but Batula is friends with his ex Ciara Miller, 30.
Now the moments Batula shared with Wilson months before she announced her split from Cooke are facing scrutiny.
The latest episode of the Bravo series – which was filmed in August 2025, five months before Batula and Cooke revealed their separation – showed the pair sharing an intimate and lingering embrace after Cooke got into a massive fight with Carl Radke.
A hug Amanda Batula shared with West Wilson long before their secret romance was revealed has left viewers uncomfortable
The hug was determined by various netizens to be inappropriate
The latest episode shed further light on the emotional connection Batula and Wilson shared months before their controversial relationship became public
The moment in question shows Batula being greeted by Wilson before they pull one another close for an uncomfortably long hug.
Wilson briefly stroked Batula’s as they clung to one another for several seconds, neither one exchanging any words.
‘Thank you,’ Batula finally said, pulling away with Wilson planting two quick kisses on her head. ‘I love you,’ she said.
They pulled away from each other but not before briefly holding hands.
The hug occurred after a massive fight between Cooke and Radke, one which was provoked in part by Lindsay Hubbard bringing up his marriage to Batula.
Radke, who was seemingly hurt by Cooke not investing in his zero-proof bar, eventually got involved and a huge brawl erupted between the pair.
They eventually extended the olive branch to one another.
Meanwhile, Wilson found Batula and gave her a long and comforting embrace.
Still, the hug didn’t sit well with viewers, with accusations that their romance dated back to the summer being thrown.
‘Case closed. Amanda and West were hooking up this summer. The kiss. The I love you. The long embrace. Her pointing out how he pulled the chair next to him,’ one posted.
‘West kissed & embraced Amanda???? This affair ABSOLUTELY happened during the summer!!!
‘None of my “friends” would ever hug me this way! West and Amanda are just gross!!!’ one posted.
The hug lasted for several uncomfortable seconds
They held one another’s hands as they pulled away
The Internet analyzed footage of the fight and the many ‘layers’ complicating the scene
‘Unreal!!! The hand placement, intimate embrace, an I love you and a kiss? Jesus. This was hard to watch and totally inappropriate,’ one said.
‘Even if they weren’t hooking up yet, it’s not appropriate,’ another wrote.
‘Carl [Radke] wasn’t even this touchy feely with Amanda, & they’ve known each other longer. This is so gross,’ one posted.
Batula and Wilson’s shock romance came to light in March, with the two confirming their relationship in a statement that sent the Internet into shock.
‘We’ve seen the growing online speculation, so while this is still very new, we wanted to provide some clarity,’ they wrote.
The pair added that they never planned ‘to purposely hide anything.’
The fallout from the controversy extended beyond their friendship, with audio of Miller confronting Batula over the relationship at the reunion being leaked.
‘There are a million other f***ing guys in New York City and you chose the one guy,’ Miller said, at one point, with her voice rising with anger. ‘And you know how much that f***ed me up. And you chose the one guy.’
But Miller wasn’t done yet. ‘And you did it on purpose, ’cause you’re a f***ing snake, Amanda. You’re a snake in the f***ing grass is what you are.’
Viewers were rattled by the emotional hug
West, 31, isn’t just any ordinary man in her life – not only is he pals with her ex Kyle Cooke, 43, but Batula is friends with his ex Ciara Miller, 30; (Andy Cohen, Carl Radke, Kyle Cooke, Batula, Wilson in 2024)
Miller has since broken her silence on the romance, saying she was more shocked by Batula’s actions than Wilson.
‘At the end of the day, a guy’s a guy. Whether or not West and I are working on a relationship, you just can’t put anything past a man,’ she told Glamour last month.
She added, ‘But I just never would think that it would come from someone like Amanda, who has been what has felt like in my circle and in my corner for so long. I think that’s the craziest part.
‘It’s one thing to experience hurt behind closed doors,’ Miller further expressed to the outlet.
‘To experience it so publicly is like another layer, and then to have to see what you thought was your life still play out in season 10. It’s a major mindf***.’
Miller, pictured in March 2025, said she was more hurt by Batula’s actions than Wilson
An investigation into the leaking was conducted by Bravo, with a spokesperson ultimately telling The Daily Mail that ‘appropriate action’ had been taken on the culprit behind the leak.
‘An investigation into the recent leak of the Summer House reunion audio has concluded that the audio was an unauthorized recording and distributed by an individual involved in the production of the reunion,’ the spokesperson said.
‘As a result of the findings, appropriate action has been taken. There is no evidence that any member of the cast was involved in the recording of the audio.
‘We take these matters seriously and will continue to take appropriate measures to respond to the unauthorized distribution of our content.
‘We are aware that there is additional improperly obtained audio circulating and we caution all parties and platforms to refrain from posting, sharing, or amplifying any unauthorized audio.’
