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Andy Cohen Announces Major 'RHONY' Changes, Upcoming Plans

Home / Entertainment / Andy Cohen Announces Major 'RHONY' Changes, Upcoming Plans

By Taylor Hodgkins on March 23, 2022 at 5:30 PM PDT
Updated on May 11, 2022 at 1:16 PM PDT

It's about to get REAL with "The Real Housewives of New York!"

The beloved series in Bravo's smash-hit 'Housewives' franchise is about to get a major makeover!

After several months of lively casting related discussions on Twitter, 'RHONY' will not only see new faces in the cast, but the franchise will also be completely "rebooted," according to Andy Cohenvia an interview with Variety.

If an all new cast isn't enough, several original fan favorites from 'RHONY' casts of yore will ALSO return in a brand new show!

Round up some of Luann de Lesseps' faux rosé: "Real Housewives of New York" fans have plenty to celebrate!

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The Fans Sound Off

Ramona Singer seen arriving at the NBC Studios in NYC on Mar 06 2019
MEGA

News of a major facelift and a second series for 'RHONY' comes after much discourse on social media centered around the show's casting.

Following "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" cast member Jennie Nguyen being fired from the franchise for past racist social media behavior, longtime 'RHONY' cast member Ramona Singer's name was also frequently brought up by fans of the franchise, urging Bravo to give Singer a similar treatment following reports she had allegedly "made a racist comment about fellow cast member Eboni K. Williams," as per Vox.

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THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW YORK CITY -- Pictured: (l-r) Leah McSweeney, Eboni K. Williams, Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer -- (Photo by: Heidi Gutman/Bravo)
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Williams, however, is not sweating Singer's controversial reputation or Singer's opinion of her.

She recently told Page Six, "The gag is I enjoy Ramona Singer. I really do. There's a lot of quirky personality elements that we share in terms of taste and lifestyle..."

She also believes getting rid of the veteran cast member would be a disservice to a large part of their audience.

Williams said, "Ramona's way of thinking and the way she presents on the show is very representative of a significant portion of our country, okay?"

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What's To Come For 'RHONY'

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Cohen has been keeping his eyes and ears open to the discourse surrounding the show, and is confidant the changes the show will under go will be well received.

Cohen tells Variety, "You know that we're at a crossroads for 'RHONY,' we've spent a lot of time figuring out where to go. And the plan we've come up with, I think, is a real gift to the fans."

The 'RHONY' fanbase's requests to see younger cast members and for more equal representation have also been heard.

Cohen revealed there has been a lot of thought put into how to approach these critical pieces of audience feedback.

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He added, "There are thousands of stories to tell here. This is the most multicultural, diverse, and energetic and exciting city in America: We are searching for a multicultural group of friends who really best reflect the most exciting city in the country. We're looking for a group of women who are real friends, and who are of diverse backgrounds, races and religions."

There's also not a hint of trepidation from Cohen when speaking about rebooting the cast.

He believes the efforts taken to incorporate fan feedback into the show will make for great success!

Speaking on recasting 'RHONY', Cohen said, "I think this represents a tremendous opportunity for a rebirth of the show. What we're looking for is everything that makes a great Housewife: fun, opinionated, successful, aspirational women who represent a side of New York we want to see more of."

As for the cast members we will be seeing more of on the upcoming season, there have been no official announcements made as of now, including whether Singer will be slated to return.

In the meantime, any 'Housewives' fan looking for a Ramona Singer fix can stream "The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip" on Peacock where Singer is featured alongside fellow veteran 'RHONY' cast member Luanne de Lesseps!

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