Teddi Mellencamp Says Bravo Has Prohibited Her From Revealing How Much She Made Filming 'Real Housewives'

Teddi Mellencamp has been an open book about her personal life lately, but there's one topic she still has not touched: her "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" salary.

Mellencamp, 44, first joined the cast of the show in 2017 before departing three years later in 2020.

And while she likely earned a substantial amount over those three years, on a new episode of "The Jamie Kern Lima Show," the reality star revealed that she's contractually prohibited from discussing the exact numbers.

While speaking with Lima, Mellencamp began discussing the evolving dynamics of filming the popular reality series, explaining that as the show progresses, so do things behind the scenes.

As the conversation continued, Mellencamp and Lima also touched on the topic of money. According to Mellencamp, the longer you're on the series, the more money you bring in.

“You know that there’s a standard. You hit five years, you hit six years, you hit whatever it may be. I think there’s that aspect to it, too," she said.

However, when Mellencamp was pressed about how much she's actually earned, the "Celebrity Big Brother" star said she's "not allowed" to say.

One thing she could reveal, though, is that all first-season cast members make the same amount of money across the board, later slamming those who might've alleged they were offered a different contract.

“The people that say, ‘Oh, I got offered $10 million to be on season 1 of the Real Housewives.’ I’m like, ‘No, you didn’t. You didn’t. No one did.’ Season 1 Housewives, we were all paid the same," she said.

Former "Real Housewives of New York City" star Bethenny Frankel shared something similar in a previous Instagram video, revealing that when she filmed season 1 in 2007, it was "favored nations." When the show returned for seasons 2 and 3, however, Frankel explained that the cast members began advocating for themselves.

And they are not the only "Real Housewives" stars who have spoken up about how much it pays to be on one of the most popular reality TV franchises known to man.

Stephanie Hollman, who starred in the Dallas iteration until it was canceled in 2021, shed more light on the pay structure in a social media video, explaining that during her first season, she felt as though she was paying to be featured on the show rather than the other way around.

"Like, I definitely spent more than I made," Hollman said before revealing that during her later seasons, she began making "great money."

She added, "... and that I think is why after season 3, you see a lot of Housewives that leave and then they keep a smaller percentage. It’s because they get expensive [to pay]. I mean, season 5, it was very expensive."

Elsewhere in the interview, Mellencamp addressed whether she'd return to "RHOBH," explaining that her health, not money, is the primary reason she's hesitant to step back in front of the cameras.

"I feel like my words are a little stuttery sometimes, and it doesn't mean I'm telling a lie," she said. "Some people have to relearn to talk after having these surgeries that I had. The fact that I can do as much as I can do, I'm so blessed for. But it still happens to me, and some days are very bad."

In 2022, Mellencamp opened up about being diagnosed with cancer, and since then, she's kept fans updated on her health journey every step of the way. In July 2025, she shared the "heartbreaking" news that she was stopping immunotherapy because it was taking a massive toll on her body. “Why do I feel like I can barely open my eyes or keep my words straight?" she said in the past, according to a report from The Blast.

As she continued, Mellencamp explained that she had learned the immunotherapy had directly contributed to her feeling out of alignment. Consequently, the reality star and mother of three shared that she and her doctors were exploring other ways to help her get back on track.

“So we’re going to take a little break on the immunotherapy to get my body back feeling stronger. And I’m on steroids and we’re doing everything that we can to get me back to feeling like I can do this, I can do all the things," she said.