Heavy.Getty Andy Cohen.
Andy Cohen teased big changes could be coming to “The Real Housewives” franchise. Following the successful launch of a rebooted version of “The Real Housewives of New York City in July 2023, the Bravo host hinted that other cities could get an overhaul.
While RHONY long starred cast members such as Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, and Sonja Morgan, the Big Apple-based version of the Bravo reality show introduced a cast of all newcomers: Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Erin Lichy, Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank, and Brynn Whitfield.
Here’s what you need to know:
Andy Cohen Did Not Deny the Possibility of More ‘Real Housewives’ Franchises Getting a Reboot
BravoPictured: (l-r) Rachel Fuda, Margaret Josephs, Melissa Gorga, Dolores Catania, Teresa Giudice, Jennifer Aydin, Danielle Cabral
Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise currently has shows set in 10 cities: Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Dubai, Miami, New Jersey, New York City, Potomac, Orange County Salt Lake City, and the rotating “Ultimate Girls Trip” locale.
But given the positive reaction to the rebooted RHONY with an all-new cast, Cohen was asked if other franchises could be getting a similar makeover.
In a Q&A on the Threads app, on July 17, 2023, a fan asked Cohen, “Now that ‘RHONY’ has had such positive feedback, are you thinking about rebooting other franchises?”
Cohen replied with a thinking face emoji, which had some fans thinking the idea is not out of the question.
“For the love of all things good, reboot NJ completely,” one fan commented on social media.
“Atlanta better WATCH OUT,” another wrote.
After a third fan chimed in that “BH can use a facelift,” another replied, “Literally PLEASE recast Atlanta, New Jersey, and Beverly Hills. We are tired 😩.”
Andy Cohen Was Previously Asked if the RHONY Reboot Was a ‘Test Run’ for Other ‘Real Housewives’ Cities
BravoRHOBH’s season 12 cast
Cohen was asked about the RHONY revamp in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in July 2023. After he was asked if the newly cast show was “a test run to see what other Housewives franchises might need overhauling,” Cohen revealed that the idea was to go back to “the original formula” of a Housewives show.
“We’re rolling dice here,” he admitted, adding that he worked with a team of people and production companies who have been doing this type of thing for a long time.
“We painstakingly recast the show,” Cohen told THR. “We looked at so many people and we met people every way from Sunday before we wound up selecting this group. We took a lot of care in this, and I think it shows in who we actually chose.
The idea for the RHONY revamp was first announced in March 2022, when Cohen told Variety of plans for “rebooting and recasting” the series and launching a “Legacy” spinoff starring the original cast members.
“You know that we’re at a crossroads for ‘RHONY,’” Cohen said at the time. “We’ve spent a lot of time figuring out where to go. And the plan that we’ve come up with, I think, is a real gift to the fans.”
According to Deadline, at BravoCon in October, Cohen assured fans that the new RHONY would be “a different show” than the original version. “Everyone is going to compare it to RHONY, which was so perfect,” he said in October 2022. “I hope this is perfect in a totally different way.”
Incoming RHONY cast member Sai De Silva promised that fans would get what they expect from a Housewives show. “You’re going to get that witty banter with what the young season of RHONY,” she told The Sun in an interview ahead of the RHONY premiere. “The show will skyrocket. Everyone will love it. It’s a lot of fun.”
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