鈥淰anderpump Rules,鈥� the that launched countless memes, merch, podcasts, endorsement deals and scandals, is recasting its 12th season 鈥� apart from its namesake, Lisa Vanderpump.
Bravo said in a press release Tuesday that the upcoming season would feature 鈥渁 new group of close-knit SUR-vers who are as complicatedly involved with one another as their iconic predecessors.鈥�
The series debuted in 2013 as a spinoff to 鈥淭he Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,鈥� executive produced and starring It focused on the personal lives of select staff at her West Hollywood restaurant, SUR, with Vanderpump in the role of both boss and maternal figure.
With in-fighting, cheating scandals, changing alliances and non-stop drama, the cast seemed destined to be followed by reality TV cameras.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e 20-something and they鈥檙e young and they鈥檙e hot,鈥� said Vanderpump of the cast in an interview ahead of the series premiere. 鈥淭hey want to play and they鈥檙e waiting for their dream and unfortunately their dream isn鈥檛 really to work at my restaurant.鈥�
Bravo did not elaborate on its decision to cast a new group, but said the cast would be announced later and the new season would go into production next year.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 thank enough those who have shared their lives. How I love you all,鈥� Vanderpump said in the statement. 鈥淚n the restaurant business, one shift always gives way to another.鈥�
As the original cast became more famous, they stopped working at SUR and launched their own ventures (and podcasts): Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval opened a restaurant and bar called TomTom with Vanderpump as a majority owner. The Toms, as they're known, branched off with different owners for a second bar called Schwartz & Sandy's 鈥� on Monday, they announced that venture would be closing its doors.
In 2023, the show reached a different level of attention and wider audience with the revelation of what became known as 鈥淪candoval鈥�: It was revealed that Sandoval, who lived with his had been having an affair with another cast member, Rachel 鈥淩aquel鈥� Leviss. News broke after filming wrapped on Season 10, but cameras were picked back up to film the aftermath for an additional episode. It was followed by a three-part reunion that took place weeks after the discovery.
The cast, sans Leviss, returned to filming for Season 11 with Sandoval attempting to make amends with the others. Madix would film in group scenes with Sandoval but refused to interact with him 1:1, leading to friction within the group. During this year's reunion, Madix tearfully said to Sandoval, 鈥淚 just want you away from me.鈥� Shortly after, it was revealed the show was 鈥渙n pause.鈥�
While many key 鈥淰anderpump鈥� cast members have not released statements or did not immediately respond to requests for comment, a few shared complicated feelings online.
鈥渋m feeling at peace with closing this chapter and im excited for everything that is to come,鈥� Madix posted on Instagram. 鈥渋 don鈥檛 know that these were the best days of our lives, but they were definitely something special.鈥�
The scandal and its fallout, though, made Madix America鈥檚 sweetheart. She received a plethora of endorsement deals, was cast on 鈥淒ancing with the Stars鈥� and on Broadway as Roxie Hart in 鈥淐hicago.鈥� She also was named Earlier this year, Madix opened a sandwich shop in Los Angeles called Something About Her with another 鈥淰anderpump鈥� star, Katie Maloney.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a mixed bag. But I wouldn鈥檛 change a thing,鈥� said Maloney, whose rocky relationship with now-ex-husband Tom Schwartz was chronicled in the series, in an Instagram story. 鈥淭hank you for the memories and the love the last 11 years.鈥�
"I have such mixed feelings right now. It鈥檚 no secret I do not like change. This is the exception,鈥� Lala Kent posted on Instagram. Kent she benefited from Scandoval with the sale of merch. She 鈥� along with current and former cast members 鈥� also devoted episodes of their individual podcasts to dissecting the drama.
Kent, Shay and Schwartz will make appearances on the second season of the successful 鈥淰anderpump鈥� spin-off, 鈥淭he Valley,鈥� which will air next year. That show stars Kristen Doute, a former 鈥淰anderpump鈥� star who for racially profiling a Black co-worker. Two others, Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni, were also let go at the time over tweets with racial slurs.
Bravo will also air a retrospective for the original show in 2025.
Alicia Rancilio, The Associated Press
