There was a time when Real Housewives of New York reigned supreme over the Housewife iterations that followed it. But the long-running Bravo show hit a lull after Season 13 failed to keep many viewers invested. Low ratings prompted the network to take action, which came in the form of an entirely new cast.
Unfortunately, the RHONY reboot was not the success we were hoping it would be. Fans felt the drama was inauthentic, accusing the new cast of producing fights to stay on the show. The network decided to “pause” the show after Season 15 ended with a divided cast.
In November 2025, Andy Cohen confirmed at BravoCon that RHONY would be returning, but still no word about who was cast in the upcoming season. When it comes to RHONY’s future, who better to ask than the woman who was there during the show’s golden age. Reality Tea recently had the chance to chat with Dorinda Medley about her time on Real Housewives of New York and the show’s future.
Dorinda Medley encourages new RHONY cast to be themselves
We asked Dorinda what she believes the RHONY reboot needs to do in order to not crumble under comparison to the OG cast. The Bravo star sympathized with the new cast, saying, “The word reboot is a very hard word. Before the show even has a chance it is getting comparisons.”
She offered some advice to the new group of ladies, encouraging them to let their walls down and be authentic.
“If I were to give any of the new girls advice, [it is] don’t care. Be authentically yourself,” she said. “Let the audience love you inside and out, scars and all.”
“In a weird way, I think Bravolebrities are more famous in a lot of ways than like actors and actresses,” she added. “Not because [we] are, but because when a fan sees us, they really, truly believe they know us.”
Real Housewives of New York is available to stream on Peacock.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK DORINDA IS RIGHT? IS RHONY HEADED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION?
