Executive producer Andy Cohen revealed that television network Bravo has repeatedly scouted and passed over potential new cities for The Real Housewives franchise, including Nashville, Chicago, and Greenwich, Connecticut.
In an interview published on Aug. 25 by Variety, Cohen explained that network casting directors combed through candidate locations multiple times but failed to find cohesive groups of women to launch new series.
Bravo is an American basic cable television network owned by NBCUniversal, while The Real Housewives is a long-running reality television franchise that follows the personal and professional lives of affluent women across various American cities. Cohen serves as an executive producer across the franchise and hosts the network's late-night talk show, Watch What Happens Live!.
Cohen stated that producers conducted extensive casting searches in several major markets without success. "We’ve cast in Nashville two or three times," Cohen said. "We’ve cast in Chicago two or three times. We’ve cast in Greenwich, Connecticut. We’ve just not found the right groups yet."
According to Cohen, the network prefers selecting locations that are not immediately obvious to viewers. He cited Potomac, Rhode Island, and Salt Lake City as non-traditional choices that succeeded before reality television filming became widespread in those areas. "The answer is the cities that we want are usually the ones that are not obvious," Cohen added.
tracy tutor joins the real housewives of beverly hills
While network executives continue searching for new franchise cities, Cohen confirmed that real estate agent Tracy Tutor will join the upcoming 16th season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Tutor previously starred on Bravo's real estate series Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles.
Cohen praised Tutor as an ideal candidate for the Beverly Hills cast, pointing to her recurring guest appearances on Watch What Happens Live! and her existing social overlaps with current cast members. "This is a very long time coming," Cohen said, adding, "She’s been on Watch What Happens Live! for years promoting Million Dollar Listing, and she overlaps with the Housewives of Beverly Hills."
Tutor was married to real estate agent Jason Maltas until 2018. Cohen highlighted her personal background as a key reason for her casting, describing her as aspirational and willing to speak candidly on camera. "Her personal story is so great," Cohen said. "She’s climbed her own mountains. She’s aspirational. If the hallmark of being a great Real Housewife is speaking how you feel, she’s certainly a bullseye." He added, "You also want to hear that the person fits. It means that she’s got a connection and a feeling."
ranking former real housewives cast members
The casting announcement coincided with an official ranking of former and short-lived cast members across the franchise's history. At the bottom of the list were four core cast members from The Real Housewives of D.C.: Mary Amons, Lynda Erkiletian, Cat Ommanney, and Stacie Scott Turner. The capital city franchise lasted one season, during which a non-cast member famously gate-crashed a White House state dinner.
Early single-season cast members from The Real Housewives of Orange County also placed near the bottom of the rankings, including Kimberly Bryant, Tammy Knickerbocker, and Elizabeth Lyn Vargas. Quinn Fry, whose defining trait on the show was described as a cougar, and Dr. Jen Armstrong, a season 16 physician who faced marriage troubles with her husband Ryne (or Ryan?) and became intoxicated at a dinner party hosted by Heather and Terry Dubrow, were also cited among short-lived stars.
Other one-season cast members included DeShawn Snow from The Real Housewives of Atlanta, who originally starred alongside NeNe Leakes, and Shamari DeVoe. From The Real Housewives of Potomac, Katie Rost ranked low after leaving a cast trip early during her single full-time season before returning as a friend of the cast, alongside Charrisse Jackson Jordan, who showcased her personal champagne room and marriage difficulties over two seasons.
In Orange County, Peggy Sulahian joined during season 12 to bring diversity to the cast but spent an entire day hiding in her hotel room during a group trip to Iceland and frequently argued over word definitions. Season 16 cast member Noella Bergener dealt with frantic personal drama when her husband James left the country and filed for divorce just as filming began, leading to conflicts with veteran cast member Heather Dubrow.
franchise controversies and notable departures
Several franchise departures followed public controversies or behavioral clashes. Jennie Nguyen was fired from The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City in January 2022 after offensive and racially insensitive past Facebook posts resurfaced online. Although Nguyen issued a public apology, network executives terminated her contract following her second season.
On The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, nurse anesthetist Annemarie Wiley exited after a single season dominated by a medical dispute over a costar's esophagus. Similarly, author and financial advisor Amanda Francis, who referred to herself as the "Money Queen," left after season 15 following criticism from viewers and castmates over her focus on material wealth and her refusal to engage in cast confrontations.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey saw rapid falls from grace and brief tenures. Siggy Flicker shifted from cast mediator in her first season to making claims of anti-Semitism and complaining about a thrown cake in her second. Amber Marchese and her husband Jim reeked of desperation during their single season, while twin sisters Teresa Aprea and Nicole Napolitano were ranked together without individual taglines.
In Miami, dentist Karent Sierra struggled to gain acceptance from her costars, while Cristy Rice exited after the initial season. In New York, Jules Wainstein delivered personal drama during her single season on The Real Housewives of New York City.
recent cast additions and international spin offs
The franchise's international expansion into Dubai highlighted contrasting cast experiences. Nina Ali and tech entrepreneur Sara Al Madani represented modern Arab women balancing careers and traditions on The Real Housewives of Dubai. Ali avoided first-season conflict, while Al Madani offered unsolicited parenting advice to costar Caroline Brooks. Taleen Marie joined the series for its second season.
Other recent additions across regional shows include Angel Massie on The Real Housewives of Potomac. The wife of retired NFL player Bobby Massie struggled to integrate into season 10, culminating in a glamping trip to Colorado where the cast became lost in the wilderness and ate fast food from a roadside gas station. Former America's Next Top Model winner Eva Marcille held a peach on The Real Housewives of Atlanta for seasons 11 and 12, remaining pregnant through much of her tenure and confronting Marlo Hampton during a cast trip to Tokyo.
In recent Orange County seasons, Katie Ginella joined in season 18 and immediately challenged Heather Dubrow. Nneka Ihim entered season eight of Potomac with a storyline centered on allegations that the mother of fellow Nigerian cast member Wendy Osefo practiced witchcraft. In Miami, Stephanie Shojaee utilized access to her private jet as leverage over costars during season seven, ahead of a potential season eight return.
On The Real Housewives of New Jersey, season 13 newcomers Rachel Fuda and Danielle Cabral engaged in an extended dispute over minor issues. Cohen described their argument as pointless during the end-of-season reunion before both cast members returned for season 14.
