The Girls Next Door Break Up, Move Out, Move On: Hugh Hefner's Girlfriends, Holly, Bridget and Kendra Say Goodbye

The Girls Next Door premiered on E! in 2005 to skeptical viewers unsure how they would feel watching a show based on the luxurious lifestyle of the notorious playboy Hugh Hefner, made rich and famous by the magazine Playboy. However, fans quickly responded to the shows main focus, Hef's bubbly, fun and busty, three girlfriends: Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt and Kendra Wilkinson.

Each bunny has her own distinct identity: Holly is the Glamor Barbie, Bridget the Girly-Girl and Kendra the Sporty Bunny. And each girlfriend carved a niche in viewer's hearts. You didn't need to be that into Playboy, or what Playboy stands for, to love the girls or the girls next door.

The Breakup Begins

The girls' seemingly idyllic life at the Playboy Mansion seemed like it would never end, until rumors began to spread halfway through 2008 that there was trouble in paradise. Though Holly and Hef, the main couple in this foursome, where supposedly getting ready to have a baby, TMZ posted a video [October 7, 2008] outside of the mansion where Holly confirms that she and Playboy mogul Hugh Hefner are no longer an item. This coming right off an interview with E! late night entertainer Chelsea Lately, in which Holly confirms she and Hef are still an item.

Stories begin to surface claiming that Holly and Hef did in fact try to have a baby together, but Hef's sperm count was too low and therefore, their dreams where never realized. Though it is unclear how the relationship ended, Hugh Hefner tells Us Magazine, "I had planned to spend the rest of my life with Holly...we planned to have a baby together, but it didn't work out," [October 8, 2008].

The Plot Thickens

The plot thickened when Holly Madison moved into a new condo in Santa Monica, Ca. Rumors quickly spread that she left rich Hef for Las Vegas illusionist Criss Angel. And that perhaps, the two had been a couple for longer than just a few weeks.

Finally, on November 7, 2008, after dodging the paparazzi, claiming they were just friends and avoiding one another while continually being caught canoodling behind the scene of Angel's show, the pair made it official at his Cirque Du Soleil "Believe" debut. Walking the carpet together, holding hands and showing public displays of affection sealed the deal that they were indeed a serious couple.

Around the same time Kendra Wilkinson, Hef's youngest girlfriend, announces that she has gotten engaged to football player Hank Basset. The ever gregarious Hef has even offered to throw her a wedding at the mansion and give the bride away. Hef's main squeeze Holly had already packed her bags and now Kendra was engaged to be married.

Through all of this change, however, statements made were brief and along the lines of, "I'm happy for you" and "change happens." On Hef's part at least. With Bridget shooting a special travel feature on the worlds best beaches - her comments were left out of the limelight.

The Girlfriend's Back

All eyes have been to Bridget, the remaining girlfriend to determine the fate of the Girls Next Door as a show on E! and also as a glimmer of hope for fans that thought possibly, just maybe, this was all a misunderstanding, or outlandish publicity stunt to rev up the ratings.

Bridget remained silent, until now. At the start of 2009, as fans waited with bated breath, Bridget announced that she too, will be leaving the Playboy Mansion as one of Hef's girlfriends. She says, "He is excited and happy for me," [Transworldnews, January 15, 2009].

Bridget claims her move has nothing to do with the Holly and Hef scandal or with Kendra moving out to marry Hank Basset. She says that she just felt it was time to move on and pursue other career interests.

More Drama, Drama

For awhile, it seems as if that was the end of The Girls Next Door dating drama. As no surprise to anyone, Hef added new girlfriends to the mansion, including a set of 19-year old twins. Reports surfaced about how amicable it was all going. How the girls still had their stuff at the mansion to sort out and they could come and go as they please while they transitioned out of the millionaire lifestyle.

Mansion Smackdown:

And it Gets Even Better:

The January 17 edition of US Weekly gives fans and critics alike an inside look at what mansion life was really like as a girlfriend. Straight from the source: Kendra Wilkinson. In her "tell-all" article, she claims she snuck out of the mansion to have sex. She also claims that she and Hef rarely saw each other during the day and only went out once per week.

Will the Girls make a comeback?

Kendra Wilkinson has apologized in person and through the media to Hef and the other girls about her comments. She knows they were hurtful, but that she can't take them back. At this point - the idea of Hef hosting a wedding for a cheater ex-girlfriend seems a little unrealistic. But who knows? Stranger things have happened in Los Angeles.

Jan 25, 2009 5:09 AM

Guest :

Sorry to Hef.I think you are an awesome person and I hope your life will continue to have hope and meaning and substance. I wish all the best to Bridget, Holly and Kendra and hope they grew as people with this experience. I have learn't never to take things for granted as so much can be lost if you do.
Godspeed to everyone.
Nikki

Jan 31, 2009 9:55 AM

Guest :

I didn't watch the show regularly but occasionally it provided entertaining silly fun. I don't really feel sorry for the girls. They are lovely young women who seemed to have benefitted from their time at the Playboy empire.
In my opinion, Hugh Hefner is nothing more than a pedophile who manages to get away with it without breaking the law. He disguises himself as a sweet old sugar daddy when, in fact, what he is doing is very manipulative and self absorbing and designed to keep himself in some kind of lime light long after his time.
I suppose any young woman with any intelligence (as they all say they have) would be able to see this since Hef's been doing it for over 50 years in some form or another. I'm sure these young women, for the most part, used their relationship with the Playboy empire to their advantage, as well. Good for them.
To Hef's credit, he seized on an element of society hwich was basically frowned upon and did give it some class and beauty but, now, it's really rather creepy than classy.

Mar 2, 2009 12:32 AM

Guest :

i fill like holly did at one time think she loved hef?! but there was just something about her that said all she really had in mind was a life of wealth and money!! that's why she wanted to have a child with hef so badly!! that would cement her future of living in the lap of luxery!! i do however think hef's love for her was more real. i to feel like his love was still somewhat shallow. as for bridgett and hef? well, i liked bridget the best of all the girls. she seemed most real and true hearted. not greedy or selfish, but a good person. and what can i say about kendra,? she was no more than a baby when hef asked her to move in as a girlfriend, and of course you know she was star struck, and hef should be ashamed about taking advantage of these young girls. even though the law says they are of legal age and adult, we all know that at that age we are very vulernalbe, mere babes in the jungle. of course she never loved hef like that, she almost acted appauled by him, everytime he went to kiss her you could see her skin crawl a little. although i can say she acted like a filthy mouthed you know what for most of the shows run, im glad to see she is acting more like a respectable woman now that she is engaged, she is after all supose to make him proud to have her as his future wife, so god bless them in their vow's. ive been married 26 years come this may. and i love and am still in love with my husband!! no way would i share him with another woman nor would he want to share me with another man. love is a bond of 2 hearts and that is how it should always be, now and in the future, promescuity has no place in a world of moral standings and the feeling of pride when doing the right thing. good luck to all the girls, and may hef finish out his life with another here she comes, and there she goes relationship. may they all be happy in their choices.

Mar 2, 2009 11:50 AM

Guest :

I always knew they'd leave him - good for them!!! In my opinion they were crazy to get into that relationship in the beginning, it's wierd!

Apr 21, 2009 1:39 PM

Guest :

i am proud of them for the old bat in the frist place they dont need his money they will be just fine by tehmselves he ii too old for them in the first place hef enjoy the new twins they willnt be the best

Jun 3, 2009 8:41 PM

Guest :

i cannot believe all this drama. i guess i should lol i feel bad for hef too but he's a PIMP so he will be fine. good luck to all the girls at least they ca all get married and have babies now. specially bridget she was my favv. i do hope the show comes back though, even though i fell in love with the old cast. a new cast could be good too! i can believe kendra told everyone she cheated on hef - what a hoe!