Former original star of The Real Housewives of New York City, Bethenny Frankel, is returning for season 7, according to Us Weekly.
Bethenny appeared on seasons 1-3 and then went on to star in her own Bravo spin-off series Bethenny Ever After. Her daytime talk show, Bethenny, was recently cancelled after one season.
RHONYC Ramona Singer Opens Up About Divorce>>>
An insider told Us Weekly that Bravo is bringing Bethenny back to boost ratings, after season 6 ended at an all time low in terms of numbers.
“Producers need to shake up the cast because the ratings have just plummeted,” an insider told Radar Online. “They are also exploring the prospect of bringing Bethenny’s frenemy, Jill Zarin back. Recently Jill appeared on ABC’s Wife Swap, and fans on social media have been asking for her to return.”
While bring back Jill would seem like a whole other (and unlikely) story, Bethenny has always had a certain appeal as a housewife. She was known for her quick wit and using the show as a platform to boost her Skinnygirl brand.
Real Housewives Roundup: Brandi’s Fight, Aviva’s Lawsuit and Teresa’s Homes>>>
Since leaving the show, Bethenny had her daughter, Bryn, and has filed for divorce from Bryn’s father Jason Hoppy. The two have yet to settle their divorce (after filing in 2012) and are still trying to work out custody and the division of assets. She’s also written a novel, Skinnydipping, and is currently on a book tour for her children’s book Cookie Meets Peanut.
If Bethenny were to return, she’d be joining Ramona Singer and LuAnn de Lesseps, the only two remaining cast members from season one. Jill, Alex McCord and Kelly Bensimon were all famously fired after season four.
[Update]: Bethenny told Sirius XM radio host, Jenny Hutt, “I haven’t signed anything. I have a great relationship with Andy Cohen and the housewives, and they’ve asked me to come back for years.”
She also indicated that she’s currently working with Andy on the possibility of other projects for Bravo, but didn’t go into details.
(Image and video courtesy of Bravo)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
