The Real Housewives of New York City season 13 reunion is in the process of being scheduled, multiple show insiders exclusively told DailyMail.com.
Insiders had revealed that members of the cast aren’t on speaking terms, so the production company Shed had to work extra hard to get all of the women to agree to come together.
‘Ramona went to dinner with Eboni to make peace and LuAnn had to be coaxed to answer her phone while living her best life in Europe, but we’re making it happen.’
Sources added that while the reunion will be filmed in either late September or early October, creator and executive producer Andy Cohen and the network Bravo are delaying production on the next season in the hopes more time will give the network a chance to ‘reinvent the show.’
Real Housewives Of New York season 13 reunion is ON! Insiders reveal the special is now being frantically scheduled after all of the women agree to come face to face following tumultuous season
‘Our final episode aired this Tuesday, and nothing had been scheduled but now we believe the women are in a better place to have the conversations that need to be had.
Adding: ‘The division had run so deep among the cast that we were worried that this would be an absolute dumpster fire that would look horrendous for each of the women and the network.’
One show source said to DailyMail.com: ‘I think this works out well for the cast as they are paid per episode.
‘By holding a reunion the newer cast will make upwards of $10,000, while the OGs will be pulling in over six figures.
DailyMail.com previously broke the news that the season 13 reunion was being postponed from its original August 5 premiere date amid turmoil within the cast.
Big return: DailyMail.com previously broke the news that the season 13 reunion was being postponed from its original August 5 premiere date amid turmoil within the cast
‘It’s heart breaking to think that our once great show has devolved into a place where it is so divided and no longer fun,’ a source said.
‘There ended up being more drama in the press and social media than there was on the show,’ the insider continued.
Ratings on the Bravo franchise took a nosedive this season as viewers continued to tune out week after week, leaving Bravo and production company Shed media scrambling with how to save the show.
‘After the reunion, the show will now be placed on pause while the production company and the network work out how they can revamp it for next season while pretending this season doesn’t exist,’ sources said.
‘Andy Cohen and Shari Levine at Bravo know what they are doing. By having a slight pause, the noise can be reduced, they can reinvent the show, bring it back and make it fun again,’ the continued.
Multiple show sources have told DailyMail.com why they believe viewers were so turned-off this season.
Drama: Multiple show sources have told DailyMail.com why they believe viewers were so turned-off this season
‘Four things resulted in this season being a challenge,’ a production source explained.
‘Bravo and production made a terrible decision in letting both Dorinda and Tinsley leave, the cast was far too small without enough storylines to sustain a season, New York was in the middle of COVID when filming began – so it was a nightmare to film anywhere and showcase the city – and Eboni’s constant preaching on the show and then trashing of the show in the press left a terrible taste in the mouths of her cast and most importantly the viewers.’
‘Never in a million years did I think RHONY would go woke, but it did and it has cost them dearly,’ the source added.
Season 13 saw the departure of fan-favorite Dorinda Medley as well as Tinsley Mortimer and featured Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Sonja Morgan, Leah McSweeney and newcomer Eboni K. Williams.
Spicing things up: Ratings on the Bravo franchise took a nosedive this season as viewers continued to tune out week after week
This season the Bravo show recorded its lowest rated episode of all-time, earning only 764,000 live viewers. (The only episodes rated lower were the ‘secrets’ recap episodes for season seven and 12.)
Williams, the first black Housewife in franchise history, has butted heads with show OGs Ramona Singer and Luann de Lesseps throughout the season.
Some have accused the attorney and former Fox News host of being ‘too woke’ and attributed her serious storylines about race relations to be at least partly responsible for the ratings slump.
Revamp: Andy Cohen and the network Bravo are delaying production on the next season in the hopes more time will give the network a chance to ‘reinvent the show’
New star: Eboni Williams, the first black Housewife in franchise history, has butted heads with show OGs Ramona Singer and Luann de Lesseps throughout the season
Others, however, have praised Williams for not being afraid to have tough conversations and call out Ramona for her sometimes blatant ignorance about cultural issues like racism.
Regardless, the tone is a departure for the once delightfully absurd show that featured the likes of Aviva Drescher throwing her prosthetic leg across the room or Leah McSweeny tossing tiki torches in the nude in the Hamptons.
‘Our viewers don’t want to be lectured to. They want a fun show – tipsy, middle aged women with money fighting about petty stuff. Yes – let’s talk about the important issues facing our nation – but this cannot be the center of our show,’ a source previously told DailyMail.com
‘It’s not what our show is, but week after week, scene after scene, everyone is being schooled by a former Fox News host.’
The Real Housewives of New York premiered in 2008 with Bethenny Frankel, Luann de Lesseps, Alex McCord, Ramona Singer, and Jill Zarin. It was the second instalment of the Real Housewives franchise after the original, Orange County.
Long-running: The Real Housewives of New York premiered in 2008