Kelly Bensimon Wants to Return to 'RHONY' — But With an All New Cast

Real Housewives of New York City alum Kelly Bensimon is calling for a complete cast overhaul again — only this time, she wants to be the star of the show.

“Everybody says I should be back on Housewives,” Bensimon told Page Six on February 24. “And I’m happy to do it with — not to be mean, but, like, not this cast. I sent a whole list to Andy [Cohen]. I was like: Here’s the mothership.” Although she didn’t dish specific names she placed on the list, she confirmed there would be no previous stars from the franchise alongside her for the ride. She said the women she included “have these narratives, these divorces… but they’re all very New York.”

Aside from the current cast, which Bensimon clearly thinks is problematic, she shared what else the show can improve on. “My biggest criticism — and it’s been the same thing throughout since I was on — is that the ultimate character on the show is New York and we’re not seeing New York,” she said.

She said when viewers watch The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, they see “all the glamor and the glitz and the gorgeousness” of the city, but they’re “not seeing that” part of the Big Apple.

Bensimon remains one of the most infamous stars to date, having taken part in the “Scary Island” episode during Season 3 of RHONY. In the episode, Bensimon got into it with Bethenny Frankel, accusing her of having knives on her tongue, trying to kill her and calling her Al Sharpton. While many suggested she had a breakdown, she insisted during the reunion it was a “breakthrough.”

After Season 13 of RHONY, Bravo overhauled their franchise, leading them to let go of the entire cast. They replaced them with a new group of women but, to date, they have not garnered the same ratings or fan reception the older cast had. There have been frequent calls on social media for the old cast to return, but Cohen insisted that will not happen.

Bravo’s hit show Vanderpump Rules is currently going through a similar change to RHONY, as Bravo announced in November 2024 the entire cast was going to be let go and replaced with new people. “What a thrill it is to build on the legacy of this series by doing it all over again," executive producer Alex Baskin stated at the time. "With profound appreciation for the original group and their iconic run, we can’t wait for the audience to see a dynamic new group of co-workers and friends make their way through life together."