Real Housewives of New York has been on pause since Season 15 wrapped up in February 2025. The season ended with a fractured cast, low ratings, and displeased fans who felt the series had lost its way. The network responded by temporarily halting production, leaving longtime RHONY fans wondering about the future of the once-beloved Bravo show.
Until recently, we didn’t know if RHONY would ever return. Thankfully, BravoCon 2025 offered some much-needed reassurance that the series will be back on our TV screens once the network works out the kinks.
Let’s breakdown what we currently know about Season 16 of Real Housewives of New York.
What’s the Real Housewives of New York Season 16 Cast shakeup?
Season 13 of RHONY was such a disaster that it forced the network to reconsider the show’s future. The solution to RHONY’s plummeting ratings was a brand new cast of stylish girl bosses that replaced the women we’ve been watching for over a decade. The reboot wasn’t all bad. The outfits were great. But the new cast failed to capture the messiness and humor of the OG series. Fans complained that the drama felt inauthentic and trivial. And seriously, what was with all those pranks? It was clear that the cast needed some revisions in order for the show to continue. So, who will be leading the charge in Season 16?
Jenna Lyons will not be in the cast
Some RHONY stars have remained tight-lipped about their involvement with the show going forward. Jenna Lyons, however, had no problem confirming her time on the show is over. In a November 21 Instagram Post, Jenna told fans she was asked to return to RHONY, but chose to walk away.
“I was grateful to be asked to join season 16 of RHONY ‘as a friend of ‘- knowing my personal life was not really available to be filmed ,we agreed that made sense,” she wrote. “And after thinking it through I have made the difficult decision not return to the show.”
Brynn Whitfield will not return
Brynn Whitfield was perhaps the most-talked about cast member in Season 15. Many fans accused her of trying to “produce” the show by crafting storylines for drama. After a difficult season, Brynn announced she would not be returning for Season 16.
“After a lot of thought, I’ve made the decision to walk away from reality TV. For now,” she wrote in a June 2025 Instagram Story, per Us Weekly.
She added, “It was the honor of a lifetime to help reboot such an iconic franchise.”
Which former RHONY stars will return for Season 16?
The rumor is that Season 16 will bring back a few of the reboot stars alongside some of the OG cast. However, this is unconfirmed. Andy Cohen commented on the rumor at BravoCon, telling Deadline, “I don’t know where that came from.” He added that producers are “close” to making an announcement.
Many fans believe Sai De Silva, Erin Lichy, and Jessel Taank will return for Season 16. All three women were present at BravoCon, which signaled to fans that they are still involved with the network. Jessel gave an update about RHONY’s future in October, leading fans to believe she is in the cast.
“It’s definitely in the works,” she told E! News on October 3. “There will be several announcements coming soon.”
Erin also teased her involvement in Season 16 during an interview with Entertainment Tonight at the Glamour’s 2025 Women of the Year Awards.
She confessed she is hoping to return to the series, telling the outlet, “I think we need to see this through. We need to pizzazz it up a little bit. We’re not done.”
Andy did recently reveal that there will be a few new faces in the cast. At BravoCon, Andy seemed confident in the group of women leading the upcoming season.
“I have to say, I’m so excited. I can tell you that we have a cast for the Real Housewives of New York City, and we are going to be filming in the next few months. So, very excited about that,” he said during a panel.
Real Housewives of New York is available to stream on Peacock.
TELL US – WHO DO YOU WANT TO SEE IN SEASON 16 OF REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW YORK? HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE SHOW RETURNING TO BRAVO?
