Brian Van Holt has been boning Courteney Cox for a year, pretty much. Rumors of their romance began last spring, months before Cox and David Arquette announced their split. While you can argue with me about the finer points of what went down – open marriage, trial separation, Courteney simply cheating on her husband – the facts are pretty simple: Cox and Arquette split up, and Cox was the one to initiate it. Also, that she and Brian Van Holt have been boning for a while. And David is a total mess about the whole thing. My theory is now (and has always been) that Courteney had a master plan as to how this whole thing would play out, and David was fine with falling on his sword and taking the blame for the split, whether or not Courteney manipulated him into that position or not. I really believe David loved and still loves Courteney, and that he would open a vein for her, so taking a hit in the media was no big deal, especially since Courteney dangled the possibility of reconciliation in front of him.

However, Courteney’s master plan has gone off the rails a bit. At this point, she was likely expecting a gentle rollout of the relationship with her jumpoff, Brian Van Holt. With David taking the blame and the hit for their split publicly, she probably already had the People Magazine story pre-written: “Courteney finds love with younger costar, is ready to move on: A Fresh Start, New Love, New Life!” But David began going on a spectacular spiral of sadness and alcohol, and now he’s in rehab, and Courteney’s master plan is messed up. So she’s in the midst of making a new plan. A new plan that involves Brian Van Holt giving interviews about her and David…?

Courteney Cox’s Cougar Town boasts an energetic ensemble – but even off-camera, the cast acts like a family.

“We are quite lucky to have her as one of our ringleaders,” Brian Van Holt, who plays Cox’s friendly ex husband, tells PEOPLE of the actress. “And the rest of the cast is really close. We are lucky that they are who they are, and I’m glad to have that relationship and trust and support.”

In fact, Van Holt, 41, counts Cox, 46, as one of his best friends. “It’s a good friendship,” he says, “and very healthy for the environment that we’re working in.”

The actor also throws his support to Cox’s estranged husband, David Arquette, who recently entered rehab for help with alcohol and other issues.

“I think it’s very courageous and I have a lot of respect for him for doing so,” Van Holt says. “My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family, Courteney and everybody. I think it’s fantastic.”

[From People]

Yeah. I think this is all kinds of cheap, tacky and wrong. If Courteney’s costar wants to talk about their show, that’s fine. But it’s tacky for the jumpoff to comment on his married lover’s husband’s rehab. David is in rehab because he couldn’t deal – soberly – with Courteney and Brian boning. Bad move, Court.

Photos courtesy of Fame.