Andy Cohen is game for a Real Housewives of New Jersey shakeup.
During the Monday, July 15, episode of SiriusXM’s “Andy Cohen Live,” a fan called in to ask Cohen, 56, whether it was time to “rebrand” the Bravo show.
“Yes,” Cohen simply replied.
The fan noted that it’s “time to do what happened with New York” and “bring fresh faces in,” referring to Bravo’s decision to change up the cast for Real Housewives of New York City season 14, which premiered in July 2023.
The caller noted that she has “love” for the Rachel [Fuda] and Danielle [Cabral] “combo” on RHONJ after the two women joined the cast in season 13. “I love that they’re fresh and young. They’re funny and Jen Fessler, even. She’s, I just, I love that there is positive energy,” the fan added.
In response, Cohen said, “I agree,” while the caller noted, “It’s just there’s all the negativity from all the — get rid of all the others. Set them free. Let them move on to the new.”
At the end of his conversation, Cohen teased upcoming plans for the show. “We’re gonna figure something out,” he said. “We are all on the same page about that.”
While season 14 of RHONJ airs, viewers have vocalized their opinions about changing up the casting on the series. Melissa Gorga, who has starred on the show since season 3, admitted that she’s in agreement with the idea.
“I agree with Bravo that there needs to be changes … I agree with that 100 percent. I think things have gotten really toxic,” Melissa, 45, told Entertainment Tonight earlier this month. “There’s two of my cast members that have played really dirty behind the scenes and it’s coming out.”
Melissa did not identify the cast members in question. “It’s all coming out because it always rises to the top, it always comes out in the laundry. It’s been years, so it’s all coming forward,” she said.
During season 14, fans have witnessed a divided cast as Melissa and sister-in-law Teresa Giudice have continued to engage in their longstanding feud. In June, multiple sources exclusively confirmed to Us Weekly that RHONJ would not feature a traditional reunion.
“The reunion is supposed to be about resolution and it’s clear there’s no resolving any issues between the women,” a source told Us at the time. “There is no wrap-up in a bow and it’s not going to happen.”
Earlier this month, an additional insider told Us that a one-part reunion will be filmed at Rails Steakhouse, which is the same location as the season 14 finale. The source noted that it will be a “non-traditional reunion where the plan is everyone is not in the same room.”
Giudice, 52, and Gorga will not be in the same room together, the source said, noting that Jennifer Aydin and Cabral, 38, will also be in separate spaces. Gorga, Fuda, 33, Cabral and Margaret Josephs will be together while Giudice, Aydin, 47, and Jackie Goldschneider will likely be in another room.
Dolores Catania and Fessler will potentially switch between two different areas. “And you never know what else can happen,” the source teased.
For now, the insider noted that the reunion will be a one-part special with Cohen not hosting. However, the insider added, “that could change.”
Amid the reunion drama, Cohen previously shut down the idea that there would be a cast mixup.
“There was a bunch of casting news about Jersey that was reported today. None of it is true. No decisions have been made,” he told Entertainment Tonight in June. “We haven’t even had any serious conversations about next season, so anything you read about what Jersey’s gonna be for next season for the next, I would say six months, is fake, so don’t believe it.”
RHONJ was the fourth series stemming from the Real Housewives franchise, premiering on the network in May 2009. Following the personal and professional lives of women in New Jersey, RHONJ’s first season starred Giudice, Caroline Manzo, Jacqueline Laurita, Dina Cantin and Danielle Staub.
