Ramona Singer may “respect” Bethenny Frankel‘s decision to exit the Real Housewives of New York but that doesn’t mean she’s not “disappointed.”
In a statement to PEOPLE, Ramona revealed that she’s “upset” that Bethenny didn’t give the RHONY cast a heads up about her exit before it happened.
“I’m only disappointed that Bethenny did not inform her co-stars that she’s not coming back to the show,” Ramona explained, adding that she “respects the fact that Bethenny has decided to go on with other endeavors.”
“Bethenny found love in her life, and it’s so fantastic that she’ll be taking the time to grow that relationship away from the cameras and to explore other business opportunities,” Ramona said of Bethenny’s romance with Paul Bernon.
Ramona went on to explain that Bethenny’s most recent departure was eerily similar to her first exit from RHONY.
“When she left in Season 4, we found out through the press she was doing her spinoff, ‘Bethenny Getting Married.’ She was upset we never congratulated her, but we were upset she never told us! And that’s how we feel now. There is a camaraderie among us as a cast. Love us, hate us, not like us — we are a team. To hear this from the press and not through her is upsetting,” Ramona continued.
However, Ramona made it clear that RHONY will survive without Bethenny.
Ramona added, “I really wish her well, though. The show’s a machine and it will continue on. We’re all just a cog in the wheel. No one is irreplaceable.”
It turns out that Bethenny decision to leave her co-stars out of the loop wasn’t personal – it was business.
“She didn’t inform her cast-mates as she’s been contemplating her exit, and then acted immediately when she made her final decision,” a source close tells HollywoodLife. “She wanted her departure to be communicated in her own words. This was a business decision and action, and Bethenny makes those choices on her own.”
Bethenny did, however, let Andy Cohen know she was considering leaving the show.
“She had been very clear with Andy and some of her castmates that she was thinking about it and even offered them advice and help to guide them when they were upset about her decision,” the insider notes.
The source notes that those closest to Bethenny knew about her potential departure.
“Bethenny and Dorinda [Medley] have developed a real relationship, and Bethenny has a real soft spot for Sonja [Morgan] and loves giving her advice and guidance. Tinsley [Mortimer] has been very kind, and while they’re not close friends, it’s a nice sweet relationship,” the source explains.
“Bethenny knew and knows she had a great run on the show. She was a girl when she started and decided to leave as a woman,” the insider adds.
As for Bravo, Radar Online reports that Bravo was blindsided by Bethenny’s departure and her partnership with MGM Television and Mark Burnett to produce unscripted TV projects, which was announced in March.
“They were very upset,” the insider claimed. “A Housewife can do a one-off show like Dancing With the Stars not a regular series in reality TV. Everyone was pissed off. For all the things the network has done for Bethenny, it was a slap in the face.”
Meanwhile, it seems that Bethenny’s RHONY co-stars aren’t the only ones surprised by her departure. The entire Bravosphere seems to be shocked by the news. Bravolebs from all across the board reacted to Bethenny’s exit on social media.
The Real Housewives of New York will return to Bravo for season 12 in early 2020.
Are you surprised Bethenny left her RHONY co-stars out of the loop on her departure? Do you believe that Bravo is pissed at Bethenny? Can RHONY survive without Bethenny?
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