Don’t count out the Countess!
The future of Legacy might still be uncertain, but OG New York Housewife Countess Luann de Lesseps won’t go down without a fight.
Earlier this week, news broke that Bravo had apparently cancelled its highly anticipated spin-off of The Real Housewives of New York City, billed as RHONY: Legacy.
The new series would have reunited fan-favorite cast members from past seasons of RHONY, including de Lesseps, who starred on Bravo’s second-longest-running Real Housewives franchise from its debut season, which first aired in 2008, through last year’s Season 13.
But last week, contract negotiations between Bravo and its stars reportedly fell apart. As of Monday, insiders said, the network had no plans to air RHONY: Legacy.
Now, de Lesseps has opened up about the situation, confirming in an interview with People on Tuesday that “negotiations have stalled.”
But the Countess insisted that RHONY isn’t over, telling the outlet that the current contract drama “doesn’t mean the show is over for good.”
“I always said, ‘Never count out the Countess,'” the cabaret star said, “but in this case it’s, ‘Never count out the New York City Housewives.'”
Luann de Lesseps pushes back on RHONY: Legacy rumors: ‘I have faith in Bravo’
The new show was first announced in March of 2022, when Bravo boss Andy Cohen revealed that the network was rebooting The Real Housewives of New York City with an all-new lineup for its upcoming Season 14.
Cohen said iconic New York Housewives from past seasons of the show would come back for RHONY: Legacy.
Many of the franchise’s most beloved stars, including de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Jill Zarin, Dorinda Medley, and Kelly Bensimon, were reportedly in talks to return.
But last week, the negotiations reportedly collapsed amid intractable disputes over how much money – and how much screentime – cast members should receive.
Sources close to the cast said they felt they were getting “low-ball” offers from Bravo, while network insiders contended that the Housewives were vastly overestimating their own worth.
On Monday, Page Six reported that contract negotiations on RHONY: Legacy had officially “collapsed” and that the spin-off appeared to be “dead.”
Since then, however, some Bravo insiders have pushed back against the rumors.
After Page Six’s story was published, Cohen himself took to social media to issue a cryptic denial, tweeting: “Don’t believe everything you read #RHONYLegacy.”
And sources at the network told People that the decision to shelve Legacy wasn’t set in stone, claiming that the series had only been put “on pause.”
What’s next for Luann de Lesseps?
De Lesseps, for her part, seemed certain that things would work out.
“I have no doubt they’ll find a way to bring the OGs and beloved New York City Housewives back together again,” she revealed.
“It may be not right now,” the Money Can’t Buy You Class singer added, “but I have faith in Bravo.”
“Sometimes in life, a pause is needed,” de Lesseps continued, adding that for the moment, RHONY: Legacy is “not going anywhere – but never say never.”
Meanwhile, de Lesseps is staying busy. The Countess is currently on tour with her popular cabaret show, Countess Cabaret, performing iconic hits like Chic C’est La Vie live around the country.
She is also filming a Real Housewives spin-off of her own with former co-star Sonja Morgan. Titled Luann and Sonja: Welcome to Crappie Lake, the Simple Life-esque series will follow the duo’s adventures in the small town of Benton, Illinois.
The show premieres this summer.
The Real Housewives of New York City is currently on hiatus.