After nearly a month of speculation, Bravo has officially announced that Danielle Staub will not be returning to Real Housewives. NYC, Atlanta, and O.C. will also experience major cast changes. Plus, a preview Atlanta’s new season after the jump.
“The reunion was Danielle’s last appearance on The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” Bravo’s senior VP of original programming and development Andy Cohen said on Monday. Today, the NY Post is reporting that Teresa Giudice will not return for a third season of NJ, citing tension between the table-flipper and the network over royalties from her cookbook Skinny Italian. Apparently, Teresa gave Bravo 10% of royalties from her book sales—the only cast member to make such a deal—in exchange for promoting the book on the show. However, the footage—of Teresa cooking and testing out recipes—never aired. A source said that Bravo is trying to elbow Teresa into a third season by threatening to hire her sister-in-law as a replacement, but that no “amount of money will make her come back.”
Last week, Bethenny Frankel told Us that she’s not coming back as a series regular on NYC because last season was “scary and painful,” but is reportedly contractually bound to make a few appearances. And while the rest of the cast has been asked back, as of last week, none of them have signed any contracts, with the NY Post reporting that the women have teamed up against the network, Jersey Shore-style, to demand more money per episode. Kelly Bensimon told Us last week that she was asked to return to the show, but hasn’t “negotiated everything yet.” In her trademark word salad she added, “I can answer honestly I would either come back or I wouldn’t come back.”
As for Orange County, Lynne Curtain, the lady who got a face lift when she was broke, announced on her Facebook profile that she would not be returning to the show for its sixth season, which is currently in production. Bravo had no comment on the O.C.’s cast changes.
As for Atlanta, Lisa Wu Hartwell has left the cast, because, according to Cohen, “she moved far, far, far outside of Atlanta.” In her place are two new women: Cynthia Bailiey, a model/actress; and Phaedra Parks, an entertainment lawyer. Below is a preview of the fourth season of the show—which premieres October 4—in which we learn that Sheree will soon become a grandmother.
Danielle Staub leaving ‘Real Housewives’ [AP]
Teresa Giudice likely gone from ‘Housewives’ [NY Post]
NYC ‘Housewives’ want Snooki $$ [NY Post]
Kelly Bensimon to Departing Housewife Bethenny Frankel: Good Luck! [Us]