A real changes are reportedly coming to The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.
According to a Page Six insider, the Bravo franchise is looking to cast a trio of major stars … one of whom is Jen Shah, who will spend more than six years in prison next month for her role in a national fraud scheme.
He will not appear on television for some time as a result.
But two other Utah-based stars are also on the way out.
“They held auditions in the fall,” the outlet reported, adding the producer:
“They want to replace the three. They haven’t decided if some of their ‘friends’ will be promoted or if they will find new talent.
Who stays safe? Who can we expect to see in season 4?
Meredith Marks, Heather Gay, Lisa Barlow and Whitney Rose will all return, Page Six claims, meaning Jennie Nguyen and Mary Cosby could be looking for new jobs in 2023.
One of the new shows in the Real Housewives universe is enormous, the Salt Lake City franchise has become very “dark,” this source explains; hence the basis for shaking up the upcoming cast.
The source may be referring to the recent scandal surrounding the series when Gay mysteriously got a black eye – and refused to reveal how he got it.
As you might expect, this has caused fans to come up with hundreds of theories, many of which center around domestic violence.
Not exactly a rumor you want floating around your program, you know?
Barlow and Marks, for their part, haven’t reconnected since Barlow accused Marks of being “half from New York” — among several other cruel claims — on the heated mic of Season 2.
It has become more awkward between the couple than entertaining at this point.
“They’re trying to bring in new women to lighten things up,” the insider said, adding that the female executive they’re looking for has to be “over-the-top” because, come on…
… this is still The Real Housewives.
Shah’s legal troubles began when he was arrested in March 2021 for running a giant telemarketing scheme (targeting parents) while filming Season 2 of the Bravo reality show.
He fiercely maintained his innocence for months, but later changed his plea to guilty just days before he was due to go on trial in July.
“Jen Shah really regrets the mistakes he has made and is deeply sorry for those who have been hurt,” said Shah’s lawyer in a statement at the time of his conviction earlier this month.
“Jen has faith in our justice system, knows that anyone who breaks the law will be punished, and accepts this sentence justly.”
Shah had planned to sit down with Andy Cohen and delve into the details of his arrest and sentencing … but then canceled this special a few days ago.
“I will not do a 1:1 with Andy Cohen and Bravo because they refuse to remove a contract provision that would allow the network to legally make misrepresentations about me and my story,” Shah wrote via Instagram on Thursday.
Part 1 of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Reunion airs Wednesday, January 25 at 8/7c on Bravo.