YouTube/Bravo Bethenny Frankel.
There may be a major cast shakeup approaching the ladies of the Big Apple. Many fans have expressed that they are less than thrilled with the latest season of “The Real Housewives of New York City.”
I’ve heard a certain skinny girl is in early talks for a comeback 👀😵#RHONY
Of course, when fans caught wind of the possible cast change, one former cast member came to many minds: Bethenny Frankel. One Bravo fan Twitter account @DorindaDeadly tweeted on July 14, “I’ve heard a certain skinny girl is in early talks for a comeback #RHONY.”
In the past, Frankel has shared she doesn’t have interest in returning to the series. One fan asked her to return to which she replied, “I AM NOT COMING BACK,” in July 2020.
Season 13 hit an all-time low when it came to its live viewership, according to @RatingsOnBravo via Twitter. The account wrote that only 764,000 live viewers watched the June 29, 2021 episode compared to last season when the series averaged more than 1 million viewers.
Rumors have since circulated that Bravo is looking to shake up the cast.
An insider told the Daily Mail on July 15, “All hell is breaking loose behind the scenes at the ‘Real Housewives of New York.’ While the cameras are down, the drama is continuing…Just like OC you can expect a cast shake up though. This show can be saved. Look at how great Beverly Hills is now.” The insider added that the cast has been told they won’t begin filming again until early 2022 instead of the usual fall schedule.
Fans Didn’t Hold Back on Their Opinions of a Frankel Return
RHONY viewers have shared their thoughts on Frankel and the cast shakeup in general. One fan replied to the Frankel return tweet, “Ugh pleassseee. Her and Dorinda + Bershan + Newbie would be great.”
Another chimed in writing, “That’s why they aren’t rushing into filming next season lol. They’re gonna do everything in their power to get Bethenny back before making any decisions.”
The same @DorindaDeadly account followed up her tweet writing, “Regarding a potential Bethenny return, it depends on a lot. She would want to come back to a completely remodelled cast compared to the cast she left in 2019. The biggest selling point for Bethenny is knowing her role would be to ‘save’ the show. It’s very early days #RHONY.”
Some fans voiced that adding Frankel back could be a mistake. “If they were going to axe Romona for a Bethenny return on #RHONY I would say no,” one fan tweeted. “Ramona has consistently delivered for over a decade while the other (while iconic) has a track record of dissing the show and acting above it when she doesn’t need it.”
Rumors circulated earlier this month that Singer was going to get the axe. A source originally told Radar Online on July 12, “The only original New York cast member who has never left from day one is Ramona Singer but now her time is up. Ramona will not be invited back to the next season of the show.” Singer has since stated that she has not been fired.
Luann de Lesseps Hinted at Another Former RHONY Star Return
Frankel hasn’t been the only former RHONY star to make headlines. Longtime cast member Luann de Lesseps recently hinted that her bff and original cast member Jill Zarin may be open to returning. On July 7, 2021, Lesseps posed alongside Zarin, writing in the caption, “You know what I’m thinking…..? 🤔 #rhony #OG’s.”
Although Lesseps may want Zarin to return to RHONY, Zarin admitted during a November 2019 interview with Entertainment Tonight that she thinks her time on the franchise is “over.”
“I could never live up to the fans wanting me to come back, but I think I’m done,” Zarin explained at the time. “The time is over for me. I had my run and I’m very happy I did.”