Fans were stunned when long time star of Bravo's The Real Housewives of New York City, Bethenny Frankel, announced recently that she was leaving the reality show. But, we now know why she's decided to leave the franchise behind, as she's spoken out about her decision. Here's what Frankel had to say:
I have decided to leave the Housewives franchise to explore my next chapter. It’s time to move on and focus on my daughter, my philanthropy and my production partnership with Mark Burnett, producing and starring in shows which represent a shift in the conversation for women.
Well, I doubt that even die hard fans of The Real Housewives of New York City who love watching Bethenny Frankel on the show could fault her for wanting to explore other options when it comes to her life and career. It seems like it would take a lot of mental bandwith to have cameras, producers and crews following you all the time, not to mention dealing with the frequent conflicts between cast members while you're also trying to maintain outside businesses and raise your family.
So, good on Bethenny Frankel for knowing when enough is enough, and figuring out when moving on from RHONY is best for her life.
Of course, this isn't the first time Frankel has left the franchise to explore other opportunities. While she's an original cast member who was with RHONY from Seasons 1 through 2, Frankel left the show during Season 3. During her time away from her fellow New York Housewives, she starred in a spinoff reality show, Bethenny Ever After, from 2010 through 2012, spent one season on Bethenny & Fredrik in 2018 and also hosted her own daytime talk show, Bethenny, which lasted for one season from 2013 through 2014.
Bethenny Frankel then rejoined RHONY for Season 7 and was again a main cast member through the recently completed Season 11.
Frankel has also become quite active with philanthropic work recently, and her B-Strong: Find Your Yes program (which is a part of the Dress for Success charity) for women and families who are in crisis offers a support system, resources and financial assistance to those women. Frankel's program helped many of those who survived natural disasters in Houston, Puerto Rico and Mexico City by partnering with disaster relief charity Delivering Good.
In her statement to People, Frankel also mentioned her production partnership with Mark Burnett (Survivor, The Apprentice) and her desire to do shows that "represent a shift in the conversation for women." It sounds like this shift in focus, which is probably connected to the charity work she's been doing lately and what she wants her 9-year-old daughter, Bryn, to see from her, will reflect something quite different from what fans generally see on RHONY. Frankel added:
With the changes in modern culture, I want to highlight the strength, confidence and unstoppable power that women have. My experience at Bravo has been an incredibly magical ride. I am so grateful to them for highlighting my entrepreneurialism and allowing me to pave the way for many women to achieve their goals. I am excited for my future. The best is yet to come.
Well it sounds like it might not be long before we see Bethenny Frankel on the small screen again, and she's certainly ready to see what will come of her business and entrepreneurial efforts next. So, while fans will surely miss her when The Real Housewives of New York City Season 12, they can relax a bit knowing that they'll hear from her again.
We don't know when Bethenny Frankel will pop back up on TV just yet, but stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest. In the meantime, you can keep up with what's coming to television in the next few months with our 2019 fall premiere guide.
