Jenna Lyons Shares Major 'RHONY' Update After Missing BravoCon 2025

"Real Housewives of New York City" is facing another shakeup, as Jenna Lyons has announced her unexpected exit from the series. In an Instagram post, the fashion designer shared the "difficult" decision and the behind-the-scenes details that led to her departure.

Lyons confirmed on social media that her status on the "Real Housewives of New York" was going to change ahead of the new season.

"The rumors are true," she captioned the post. "So here’s the backstory. I was grateful to be asked to join season 16 of 'RHONY' 'as a friend of' — knowing my personal life was not really available to be filmed, we agreed that made sense."

After some reflection, Lyons revealed she made the "difficult decision" to leave the series behind.

Lyons gushed about how grateful she was for the chance to film such an iconic series. She also noted how her exit would give the show an opportunity to form a "new dynamic."

In her caption, Lyons seemed to express love for Andy Cohen and all her cast members, except Brynn Whitfield, who announced her departure from the series in June 2025.

Not one to forget about her supporters and the loyal Bravo fanbase, Lyons also took time to express gratitude to the viewers. "THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! It’s so incredibly meaningful," she wrote.

Prior to her departure, Lyons faced significant scrutiny from her co-stars, particularly Sai De Silva, for being seemingly elusive about her personal life.

During a season 15 episode, Lyons admitted that she was keeping parts of her life a secret from the audience, such as her relationship with Cass Bird, and explained why.

"Because I've had so much press, I am very quiet about that so I'm not sharing that," she told her castmates on camera.

"My life has put me in the public eye for my job and other things I've done. And that is my choice. And someone does not want to be in that with me, then I have to respect that," she later told a producer during her confessional interview.

De Silva clapped back, saying, "I want to know what's going on with her relationship. ... She knows my husband, why can't I know her girlfriend? We're friends, that's what friends do — we know each other's spouses. I'm hoping she'll let her guard down a little bit."

Before Lyons' announcement, Whitfield shared with her followers that she'd also decided to leave the show. Her exit came after the cast appeared to turn on her following horrifying accusations she made about Ubah Hassan.

"‘The Real Housewives of New York’ will always be one of the most fun, chaotic, and magical chapters of my life," Whitfield wrote in her post. "It was the honor of a lifetime to help reboot such an iconic franchise. From day one, I’ve believed 'RHONY' is a fan’s show — we’re just temporary custodians of something that truly belongs to the viewers."

She concluded, "I hope I made you laugh (a lot), cry (a little), and more than anything — I hope there’s a TV in heaven so that Mimi (who LIVED for her shows) could watch me and be proud."

"RHONY's" 15th season concluded in February 2025, and since then, fans have flooded Cohen with questions about the series' status.

During BravoCon 2025, the Godfather of Bravo finally addressed the questions head-on and shared exciting news with viewers.

"We have a cast for 'The Real Housewives of New York City'," he told the audience. "We are gonna be filming in the next few months. Very excited about that. More to come about that."

Days before that, Cohen shot down rumors that the next season of the show would feature new and former Housewives, a decision Erin Lichy seemed to agree with.

"I honestly trust the Bravo producers," Lichy said. "They know what they’re doing. ... I feel like if they really thought that that was the way to go, then that’s the way we would go, you know?"