“The Real Housewives of New York” is one of the longest-running franchises in the “Real Housewives” universe. The series premiered on Bravo in 2008, spawning reality television stars that would become household names: Bethenny Frankel, Sonja Morgan and Luann de Lesseps, just to name a few.
After suffering a major decline in ratings, however, “RHONY” producer (and a star in his own right) Andy Cohen, was left with a dilemma: how can one of the most iconic “Real Housewives” franchises be revived?
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Originally discussed was “RHONY: Legacy,” which would see the return of original cast members like Jill Zarin and Kelly Killoren Bensimon. “Legacy” was eventually scrapped, and Cohen went back to the drawing board, recruiting an entirely new cast of New York housewives.
At BravoCon in October 2022, Cohen officially revealed the cast of “The Real Housewives of New York” season 14.
“We were looking for a group of friends who were actually connected. Women with interesting jobs — we have Brooklyn, Tribeca, all over town. Really cool jobs, fashion, PR, model, influencer, all different types. Their energy and humor is great,” Cohen said.
Ahead of the new season’s debut, here’s what “RHONY” fans have to look forward to.
Who are the new cast members?
Jenna Lyons, Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Erin Dana Lichy, Jessel Taank and Brynn Whitfield are New York’s newest “Housewives.”
Lyons, the former creative director and president of J. Crew, is perhaps the most recognizable name. She’ll also be the franchise’s first openly gay housewife. “I didn’t have a job,” she told Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight Show.”
“When I left J. Crew, I was like, ‘What am I going to do?’ and then I went on a podcast and they asked me if I had heard there was going to be a reboot of RHONY and they said, ‘There’s never been an openly gay woman on “Housewives” and I was like, ‘Hmm…,'” Lyons explained.
Lyons then got in contact with Cohen, who thought it would be “a good idea” for her to join the cast.
De Silva, a fashion blogger, has run her website “Scout the City” since 2008. She’s since ventured onto YouTube, where her vlogs are viewed by more than 50,000 followers.
As a model, Hassan has worked with a variety of major labels including Gucci, Ralph Lauren and Oscar de la Renta. Hassan already has ties to the “Real Housewives” — her cousin, Chanel Ayan, is a cast member on “The Real Housewives of Dubai.”
Lichy, a luxury real estate agent for Douglas Elliman and a native New Yorker, also runs her own design firm called Homegirl.
Originally from London, Taank is a brand consultant and fashion publicist.
Whitfield also has roots in the public relations industry. A former PR lead for Assembly, she now works as a freelance communications consultant.
Where will the “RHONY” reboot air?
As always, new episodes of “RHONY” will premiere on Bravo. Those with a Peacock subscription will also be able to watch season 14 — new episodes will hit the streaming service a day after they air on Bravo.
When does “RHONY” premiere?
Season 14 debuts July 16, meaning “RHONY” is likely to rule Bravo’s summer lineup.
Are there any trailers?
A teaser was released on May 1, while the first trailer for the new “RHONY” came out in June.