At the end of a long day, sometimes the best way to feel like you're living your best life is with some comfy PJ's, a glass of wine, and gratuitous reality television. In our series "Not-So-Guilty Pleasures," we remove the "guilt" and break down the latest happenings in your favorite TV indulgences.
- The Real Housewives of New York City star Bethenny Frankel announced on August 21 that after being an on-again-off-again cast member on the show for 11 years, she is not returning.
- With Frankel's departure, it means the other ladies—Dorinda Medley, Ramona Singer, Luann de Lesseps, Sonja Morgan, and Tinsley Mortimer—will have to say hello to the newest cast member: Leah McSweeney.
- Watch the season 12 trailer below.
Fans of The Real Housewives of New York City can expect a whole lot of changes in season 12 of the hit Bravo series.
Since the show premiered, many housewives have come and gone but the main cast for the last two years was primarily made up of Bethenny Frankel, Dorinda Medley, Ramona Singer, Luann de Lesseps, Sonja Morgan, and Tinsley Mortimer.
Did you notice the "was" instead of "is" above? Well, that's because on August 21, 2018, Bethenny released a statement to Variety that after being on the show—on and off—for 11 years, she is leaving again. Longtime fans of the series will remember that she wasn't a part of RHONY for three seasons, from 2010 to 2014.
"I have decided to leave the 'Housewives' franchise to explore my next chapter. It's time to move on and focus on my daughter, my philanthropy and my production partnership with Mark Burnett, producing and starring in shows which represent a shift in the conversation for women," she said. "With the changes in modern culture, I want to highlight the strength, confidence and unstoppable power that women have. My experience at Bravo has been an incredibly magical ride. I am so grateful to them for highlighting my entrepreneurialism and allowing me to pave the way for many women to achieve their goals. I am excited for my future. The best is yet to come."
A day later, on August 22, Bethenny took to Instagram to share a photo of her very first tagline ("New York City is my playground"), writing a long and emotional caption about her decision to quit.
The latest? Her replacement is none other than Leah McSweeney, a former fashion designer—and her debut in the trailer looks wild.
When does The Real Housewives of New York City season 12 premiere?
Mark your calendars: The show returns to Bravo on Thursday, April 2 at 9 p.m. ET.
Is there a trailer yet?
Yes! It is absolutely wild. We meet the new housewife, Leah McSweeney, and the women of New York appear to get in many, many fights.
Where can I watch The Real Housewives of New York City?
Season 11 is currently available to watch on BravoTV.com and the Bravo app with a cable provider login. The episodes are also available for purchase on YouTube and Amazon. Seasons 1 through 10 can be streamed on Hulu. (Be sure to take advantage of their free 7-day trial if you haven't already).
How did season 11 of The Real Housewives of New York City end?
When season 11 of The Real Housewives of New York City first aired, Bethenny was grieving the loss of her on-again-off-again boyfriend, Dennis Shields, after he unexpectedly died on August, 10 2018.
The show started filming just three weeks after Dennis's death. Bethenny made it known that she was going through a lot emotionally during her interviews. Dorinda and Sonja were very supportive while Ramona and Luann kept their distance—something that Bethenny eventually called them out on.
For Luann, season 11 showed how she was dealing with her sobriety after getting arrested in December 2017 on charges of disorderly intoxication, resisting arrest, battery of an officer, and making threats against a public servant. Part of her deal meant that she was to abstain from consuming alcohol for a year. It was revealed during the reunion that she had violated her probation in May 2019 after drinking two mimosas during a brunch.
The tensions were high between Luann and the other ladies after they continuously called her out for being "self-absorbed" since starting Countess and Friends, a cabaret show, in 2018.
One housewife that didn't miss a beat was Dorinda. In season 11, viewers saw her trying to reconcile her friendship with Luann after their falling out in season 10. When Dorinda decided it was time to move on from trying so hard with Luann, fans saw her have fun by hosting an '80s-themed aerobics class.
Tinsley didn't have as much drama as the other ladies except when it came to her love life and personal wealth. When she first joined the show, in season 9, viewers saw her relationship with Coupon Cabin CEO Scott Von Kluth develop. The couple dated on and off for two years and he didn't appear in anything but a handful of episodes.
Tinsley's relationship status was a point of contention for the ladies because they felt she wasn't being honest about anything in her life. By the end, she made it clear that she and Scott were completely over.
This season was particularly tough for Ramona. She was caught in multiple lies, trying to purposely exclude BFF Sonja from her birthday party, and saying something extremely cruel about the late Dennis.
One thing we thought we'd never see was Ramona and Bethenny getting along again, but in season 11 it happened. The ladies shared a few bonding moments when they both realized they grew up in tumultuous households. That bond went out the window during the reunion after Bethenny saw what Ramona said about her and Dennis during the season.
Who's in the season 12 cast?
In addition to newcomer Leah McSweeney, the cast includes Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Sonja Morgan, Dorinda Medley, and Tinsley Mortimer.
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As the Lifestyle Writer at OprahMag.com, I cover beauty, style, relationships & love, work & money, health, and food. When I'm not working, you'll find me watching Bravo, on the hunt for the perfect jeans and white tee, or taking my yorkie, Chloe, out for walks in Riverdale, New York.
