8 memorable Bravo Housewives who only lasted one season

It’s a jungle out there in the Bravo universe and while being a Housewife comes with notoriety, money, and a host of other things not everyone is built for reality TV.

While it might look easy to go on lavish vacations, attend fancy dinner parties, and hang out with other privileged women, being on the show is not always what it’s cracked up to be– just ask some of the most memorable one season wonders who’ve joined the franchise over the years.

Familiar faces such as actress Kim Fields, and reality TV personality Claudia Jordan seemed great in theory, but in reality, they didn’t have what it takes to make it as a Bravo Housewife.

Other cast members such as Jules Wainstein, DeShawn Snow, Carlton Gebbia, Amber Marchese, Joyce Giraud, and Kathryn Edwards also tried their hand at being a Bravo Housewife and didn’t make the cut either. In some instances, we were surprised that some of them didn’t make a return, but others weren’t so shocking.

Let’s reminisce on these eight memorable Bravo Housewives who only lasted one season.

1.Kim Fields:The Real Housewives of Atlanta

Kim Fields joined the Real Housewives of Atlanta in Season 8 and quickly found out that it was far different than she could have imagined. The actress who’s known for her stint on The Facts of Life was far too sweet and demure for the reality show and it quickly became apparent that she was not a good fit.

Kim, unfortunately, became the target of RHOA villain Kenya Moore and she was no match for the long-running reality TV star who made her time on the show a living hell. During a cast trip to Jamaica, things took a turn for the worst when Kenya and Kim got into an altercation and the former beauty queen got into Kim’s face, called her boring, and at one point even pulled out Kim’s chair and told her to leave.

Kenya later claimed she was embarrassed by her behavior towards Kim as noted by the Inqisitr. “I was mortified. I think it was a big mistake for me to pull her chair. It was uncalled for. It was absolutely unacceptable, and I apologize for that behavior,” said Kenya.

However, the final straw for Kim Fields was likely when Kenya took aim at her husband and insinuated to the group that he was gay.

After a very rocky first season, Kim left the show and went back to her quiet life as a mom, wife, and actress.

2.Kathryn Edwards:The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Kathryn Edwards joined the show in Season 6 and her celebrity ties came from being the wife of retired NFL star Donnie Edwards. She made sure to align herself with Lisa Vanderpump, but joining forces with the queen bee didn’t save the former model from being fired after only one season.

In Kathryn’s quest to become besties with Lisa, she made a rookie mistake and proved that she could not be trusted.

During a meetup with Erika– so that the two could get to know each other– the Painkiller singer tried to warn the newbie about Lisa and told her to be careful around the OG. However, as soon as the conversation ended Kathryn went right back to Lisa and told her what Erika had said.

The underhanded betrayal didn’t sit well with the other women and her blind loyalty to Lisa didn’t help her case as viewers didn’t quite warm up to the newbie. After the season ended, Kathryn issued an apology to her castmates for her behavior and she specifically apologized to Erika Jayne as well.

Nonetheless, the network decided not to renew Kathryn’s contract but at least her one season on RHOBH was a memorable one.

3.Amber Marchese: The Real Housewives of New Jersey

As a breast cancer survivor, Amber Marchese had an interesting story to share with viewers but unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to garner her a second season.

Amber and her husband Jim certainly brought their share of drama during her Season 6 debut and yet the new Housewife only served one stint on the show because she didn’t gel with her castmates and the viewers didn’t warm up to the brunette beauty either. 

However, what really added to people’s disdain for Amber was her husband Jim who many felt was obnoxious and overbearing and he quickly became one of the most hated husbands in the franchise.

After the season ended, Amber told Us Weekly that she was the one who made the decision not to return to RHONJ because it wasn’t what she expected. 

“I learned a great deal. However, RHONJ is a hard gig that requires one to be heartless and cruel. I am not either. I have learned too much in my life and have too much love in my heart to intentionally hurt anyone.” said Amber of her decision to exit the show.

4.Jules Wainstein:The Real Housewives of New York

Jules Wainstein joined the Real Housewives of New York in Season 8 and had several altercations with OG Bethenny Frankel throughout the season. The newbie opened up about her battle with an eating disorder and her storyline centered around that. She was also the only cast member who was an actual Housewife during her Season 6 run.

However, after the show aired it seems Jules made the decision not the return because of what was going on in her personal life. We soon found out that she was divorcing her husband Michael Wainstein– after finding out he had cheated on her. We saw signs of trouble in the couple’s marriage on the show but the news still came as a surprise and things escalated even further. 

In 2020 Jules was arrested for attacking her then estranged husband in front of their kids. She was arrested and charged with battery and Michael obtained a protective order against her. 

5.Claudia Jordan: The Real Housewives of Atlanta

Claudia Jordan seemed like a great fit for The Real Housewives of Atlanta but oddly enough she didn’t make it past one season after joining the cast in Season 7.

However, while her time on the show was short it was certainly memorable and it is hard to forget her drama with OG NeNe Leakes during their cast trip to Puerto Rico. To this day the altercation between NeNe and Claudia ranks as one of the most epic face-offs in Housewives history because Claudia certainly knew how to hold her own against the OG, and she came out the winner.

That could very well be what sealed Claudia’s fate on RHOA–at least that’s what viewers speculated at the time.

NeNe made it clear that she didn’t want to return to the show unless certain cast members were fired.

During an interview with Extra TV, NeNe remarked, ” I don’t know if I’ll return or not, I don’t know. I will return, however, if some of the other girls leave the show because the show is called The Real Housewives Of Atlanta. There are a lot of women on the show this season that are single, they’re not moms, they’re not married, they’re not dating.”

While she didn’t mention any names, it was assumed NeNe was referring to Claudia who was not married, dating, or had kids during her time on the show. Whatever the reason, Claudia only lasted one season, but it was a memorable one, to say the least.

6.Joyce Giraud: The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

The stunning Puerto Rican actress and former pageant queen joined the show for Season 4 and initially seemed like a great fit among the glamorous Beverly Hills Housewives. However, the drama proved too much for Joyce who clashed with controversial alum Brandi Glanville after she made a racially insensitive remark towards her.

Sadly, Joyce wasn’t able to establish any real connections with her castmates and didn’t make much of an impression on viewers either. So, after the season ended, the network decided not to renew Joyce’s contract.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum later spoke about her time on the show with The Things and told the media outlet she had no regrets but threw some shade at the show.

“I have no regrets because everything happens for a reason. I do regret not doing my research properly… I didn’t really watch the previous seasons to understand how conniving a show like that can be. I thought the fights were fake and the friendships were real. Turns out it was the opposite,” noted Joyce.

7.DeShawn Snow: The Real Housewives of Atlanta

DeShawn Snow appeared in the first season of the real housewives of Atlanta and at first, we thought she would be the queen bee. 

Married to a former football player at the time, DeShawn and her husband Eric Snow were living quite lavish and she appeared to be the wealthiest Housewife on the cast. It’s not clear what really happened, but the most memorable thing we remember about DeShawn is her failed charity event.

Her sweet personality was no match for over-the-top stars such as NeNe Leakes, Sheree Whitfield, or Kim Zolciak-Biermann and as the season went on she was touted as boring. 

By the end of Season 1, RHOA was a definitive hit but DeShawn never had a chance to share in the success of the show because she was fired soon after. Since leaving RHOA her life has taken a different turn and after 12 years of marriage, DeShawn and Eric split and went through a nasty divorce.

Despite being disappointed about not being asked back for a second season, DeShawn is now happy with how it played out. “When I left the show, my life just totally changed… I don’t know if I would have wanted to go through all that on camera. So, it all worked out for me. I have no regrets,” she said.

8.Carlton Gebbia:The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

In case you have no memory of Carlton Gebbia go back and watch Part 2 of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills reunion because her name was recently brought up.

Some viewers might have been just as puzzled when Andy Cohen mentioned the name Carlton during a viewer question but long-time RHOBH fans remember her well. Carlton was a full-time housewife during Season 4 and she had a deep-seated hatred for Kyle Richards and they feuded all season.

It’s fair to say that Carlton was an odd character and strange addition to the Beverly Hills cast which explains her short stint on the show.

She does take the crown for being the first Wiccan on the franchise and even opened up to Bravo about practicing witchcraft. “I’m considered a sole practitioner. I am Celtic as far as my ancestry is concerned. My grandmother was a pagan but she also practiced witchcraft, which is what I do…I’m a sole practitioner; I don’t belong to a coven, which is a group of people that believe in the same things,” confessed the RHOBH alum.  

However, no amount of magic could keep Carlton on the show. Her intense personality proved too much for not only her castmates but viewers as well. 

There you have it! We’ve rounded up eight of the most memorable one-season wonders in the Housewives franchise. While the ladies left an impression on viewers it wasn’t enough to garner them a second season.

Tell us which Housewife you think deserves a second chance.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs Wednesday nights at 8/7c on Bravo.