Bravo Puts ‘RHONY’ On Indefinite Pause But ‘Hopes’ It Will Return

The news about the beloved iteration, which first aired on Bravo in 2008 and featured stars like Bethenny Frankel and Ramona Singer, arrived days after NBC Universal (Bravo’s parent company) shared its plans to expand the “Real Housewives” series with a new city.

According to a new report from Page Six, sources close to Bravo and “RHONY” producers have said the network is placing the series on an indefinite pause after 15 seasons on the air.

However, it may not be the end of the show in the Big Apple. Page Six also confirmed that Bravo “hopes” the show will return in the future.

“We’re trying to figure that show out,” an insider said. “We want to figure it out. We think there’s still life in it.”

The news about the “RHONY” hiatus isn’t the first time the network has halted the New York-based show. After season 13, which featured Sonja Morgan, Leah McSweeney, and newcomer Eboni K. Williams, Bravo canceled the reunion before saying they were at a “crossroads” regarding how to move the series forward.

Months later, Andy Cohen shared that they were starting from scratch and hosting a “major casting search” across the city in hopes of breathing new life into the wildly popular version of the show.

“And when you start from scratch, Beverly Hills was a really successful season 1 cast, Jersey was a really successful Season 1 cast, Salt Lake City was a really successful season 1 cast. Those were people who were in each other’s lives, who knew each other, who were relatives. That’s one of the things that is going to be fun about this. Because when we find people that we love, we can say, ‘Who are your friends? Who else is in your life?'” he said.

“I think it will be the rainbow that is New York City. That’s the goal,” he added.

Loyal Bravo fans and “RHONY” defenders have already begun reacting to the news online, with one watcher saying they’d “never forgive Bravo for ruining their best franchise.”

Another viewer slammed the network for the “disrespect” they’ve shown the “RHONY OGs who built the franchise.”

“The OG RHONY was a wild, beautiful ride [and] truly iconic,” a third fan posted. “I loved it deeply. The reboot had its moments, but let’s be real, it didn’t hit the same. I’ve already mourned the OG loss, but Bravo saying it’s really over? I’m not okay.”

Although disappointing for some, Bravo’s move to pause “RHONY” indefinitely may not be the end for the over-the-top production.

In 2021, eight years after Bravo paused “The Real Housewives of Miami,” the network announced its plans to reboot the show on its streaming app, Peacock.

Cohen said in 2020 that he’d been a big “advocate for Peacock bringing back Miami.”

The revived cast includes returners Alexia Nepola, Lisa Hochstein, and Larsa Pippen, as well as newcomers Guerdy Abraira, Julia Lemigova, and Dr. Nicole Martin.