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Now Brooks Ayers claims he has stage 2 cancer... NOT stage 3: Vicki Gunvalson's ex makes revelation after RHOC stars question diagnosis

Published: 23:02 EST, 20 October 2015 | Updated: 19:02 EST, 21 October 2015

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Vicki Gunvalson's ex-boyfriend Brooks Ayers has defended himself again over claims he faked cancer for a storyline on this season of The Real Housewives Of Orange County.

In an interview with E! News the TV personality insisted he 'absolutely' has non-Hodgkin lymphoma - but claimed that it is now 'stage 2' following a 'stage 3' diagnosis in 2013.

Ayers did not provide medical records in the interview and refused to take a lie detector test under any circumstance, which he said was upon the insistence of his attorney.

The Louisiana-born businessman has been at the center of a controversial storyline on this season of the Bravo show, which concluded with the entire cast believing he was not telling the truth about his condition.

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On the defensive: Brooks Ayers slammed the Real Housewives of Orange County for doubting he has cancer in an interview broadcast Tuesday on E!

Suspicions arose after he sought alternative treatments, which many of the cast speculated were bogus, rather than seeking traditional forms of cancer treatment.

In a Bravo blog post earlier this month, even Vicki admitted she didn't have evidence to prove whether Ayers did have cancer or not, saying he kept his illness private in the last few months of their relationship, but added that she did not believe he would have faked it.

Meanwhile in her blog last month, castmember Meghan King Edmonds accused Brooks of being irresponsible by 'spreading the word about a potentially dangerous "treatment" which I find highly unethical'.

Speaking to E! News on Tuesday, in the second part of his interview, Ayers claimed that his health had improved, but didn't specify details in terms of when his cancer was downgraded.

He said: 'I went from stage 3 initial diagnosis now down to stage 2. I have no more inflammation, lesions in my lymphatic system.'

He' still working to normalize his blood numbers, he said, through natural treatments.

Ayers also claimed he was the subject of a witch hunt by the ladies of The Real Housewives Of Orange County, arguing that they doubted his cancer diagnosis to create drama on the show.

'With this group of ladies, they weren't sincere and wanting to know about my good health,' Ayers said.

Manipulated: The businessman, who'd been dating Vicki Gunvalson, accused the cast of being insincere and claimed they'd challenged his illness revelation in order to create drama on the Bravo reality show

'I did it for her': Brooks has claimed Bravo told Vicki Gunvalson that her role in the reality series would be 'reduced' if they weren't allowed to film the totality of her life with Brooks including his illness

'They were interested in trying to catch me in a lie or Vicki in a lie or in a cover up.'

When pressed on whether or not he'd be willing to take a lie detector test to put the controversy to bed once and for all, he declined.

'My attorney has said under no circumstances will I do a lie detector test. It's too broad,' Ayers said.

In the first part of the sit-down interview with E! broadcast Monday, Ayers alleged that Bravo execs pressured his now ex-girlfriend Gunvalson to make his cancer battle a central part of the reality show's 10th season.

'She was basically told, "Honey, if you don’t film your total reality with Brooks dealing with cancer, we’re going to reduce your role,'' he explained.

'So I did it for her,' he explained.

As the season progressed, however, the initial concern for his health turned into arguments between the Housewives over whether or not he was telling the truth and if he was really sick.

Still believes: Ayers said his ex, seen here third from left on the RHOC season 10 reunion show, told him after the taping she believed everything he'd told her but the ladies had backed her 'into a corner' about it

Tamra Judge was vocal about doubting the businessman actually had cancer and Ayers said he had shown her documents confirming his diagnosis.

'I did show (the scans) to Tamra and she was convinced at the time until she changed her mind for the storyline.' he claimed.

He said, too, that Gunvalson, with whom he had a four-year relationship, continues to stand by him.

'Post the reunion, she said to me, 'I truly believed everything you told me but the ladies just backed me into a corner,'' he told E!.

Asked about why he was seen on camera drinking alcohol during a meal out on the Bravo show if he was undergoing treatment for cancer, he said he only had a drink to celebrate his birthday and Gunvalson's birthday.

Separate ways: Ayers and Gunvalson, who had been together for four years, split in August and are now dating other people, according to Ayers

He also refuted the notion he'd told Gunvalson's daughter Briana he had pancreatic cancer too.

He insisted he'd never had a direct conversation with Briana about his illness and she must have misunderstood what her mom had said about him having a large lesion around his pancreas.

Earlier in the interview, he had blamed Briana for the end of his relationship with Gunvalson.

'The primary issue was the internal family conflict with Briana. I think she had some significant issues growing up, just a lot of hurt and unresolved anger,' he said.

He described the break-up as 'hard', but said he 'grew out of love' with Gunvalson and once he knew he wasn't 'the best for her', he decided to end their affair.

'Daddy issues': One of the main reasons for the decision to separate, Ayers said, was the animosity shown toward him by Gunvalson's daughter Briana Culberson. Mother and daughter are pictured in 2012