The speculation around Lisa Rinna’s exit from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills has been set straight once and for all.
In a sneak peek of the Bravo show’s upcoming 13th season, fans received more details on the 60-year-old mainstay’s departure from the reality series.
The teaser featured Erika Jayne opening up about her anxieties around seeing the other housewives for the first time since last season’s explosive reunion. As she arrived at Dorit Klemsley ‘s spiritual retreat, she told cameras, “I come to the retreat feeling two things. One, I knew I was vicious at the time. Two, I was also protecting myself and I had to stick up for myself.”
“So I am walking in like a man of my own island,” Erika added. “My friend is gone.”
The teaser flashed a screengrab of Erika’s resignation letter dated Sept. 10, 2022, which read, “I will not be renewing my contract and I will not be coming back to RHOBH. Thank you so much for 8 years!!!! All the best, Lisa.”
In January, Lisa would be departing the beloved franchise after eight seasons of delivering sassy one-liners, drama-filled moments and social media messiness.
“This is the longest job I have held in my 35-year career and I am grateful to everyone at Bravo and all those involved in the series,” the Bravolebrity wrote in a statement. “It has been a fun eight-year run and I am excited for what is to come!”
The decision was made as Lisa’s contract expired at the end of last season. After weighing her options and business obligations, Lisa and Bravo mutually decided that she would not return to RHOBH.
After the news broke, Bravo honcho Andy Cohen reacted to her exit by sharing a cartoon honoring Rinna’s signature lips and nothing she had “an iconic run.” Meanwhile, series alum Lisa Vanderpump threw a little shade at the news as she tweeted, “ Ding dong.”
In an interview with , the Vanderpump Rules star alluded that her departure may not have been a mutual decision while commenting on the Rinna Beauty founder’s love-her-or-hate-her reception from fans leading up to her exit.
“I heard she got booed at BravoCon, so I don’t know whose choice it was, really,” Vanderpump said. “I try not to get involved in it. I shouldn’t have tweeted ‘Ding dong,’ but I did. There’s a lot of things I shouldn’t do but I’ve done.”
In a subsequent episode of Watch What Happens Live, Cohen pointed out how the actress “has been really a huge part of Beverly Hills,” and expressed his desire to see the actress return.
“I really do hope that this is a pause. I hope she will come back. I really do,” he said at the time. “I’ve talked to Tamra [Judge] about this a lot. Tamra, ultimately said to me before she came back to this, she said, ‘You know what? My time away from the show kind of helped me as a person.’ And she said, ‘I think it was actually really positive to leave and get some air and step back.’ So I just hope that Lisa will humor us and comes back.”
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 13 premieres Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.
