Bravo Exits That Still Have Fans Reeling

Bravo gives viewers a lot (like season after season of addicting television), but it also takes away! And there's nothing more soul-crushing than discovering that your favorite Housewife or cast member will no longer be featured on the network. Since Bravo also has a legion of devoted fans who are very active on the internet, they sometimes play a role in who stays and who goes. Or they fuel nasty rumors that someone is leaving and cause a panic when that's not the case.

No one is safe from the online chatter, with head honcho Andy Cohen even falling victim to the surmising in 2022. The internet was ablaze with rumors that Cohen might be retiring, but the "Watch What Happens Live" host and executive producer of many hit Bravo shows denied the rumors. Cohen spoke to Us Weekly during the network's fan festival, BravoCon, that October and denied the speculation, stating, "That's not happening." 

While talking about his own role on the network, he also offered insight into how casting decisions are made, sharing, "I think that cast shakeups are always in the offing for any season, for any city. It's a conversation that we always have. It's the reason that this franchise [has] been going for 16 years. We like to keep it fresh and we consider everything." Sadly, keeping things fresh often results in heartbreak for fans when their favorites get the ax. We're taking a look back at the Bravo exits that still have fans reeling... 

After she "made it nice" for six seasons on "The Real Housewives of New York City," fan favorite Dorinda Medley left the show in 2020. That August, the beloved reality star took to social media to make the sad announcement, writing in part on Instagram, "What a journey this has been. I have laughed and cried and tried to Make it Nice... But all things must come to an end. This was a great outlet for me to heal when my late husband Richard passed away. I have met so many interesting people and learned so much about myself, about life and about women along the way." 

She had a famously rocky final season, the show's twelfth, and even opened up to People when the trailer first aired in April 2020. "I had an emotional year. And everybody assumes from watching that clip that it's because I was fighting with this one or drinking too much of this, but I was going through a lot of changes that were really taking a toll in my personal life," Medley explained. She had a flood at her home, a broken rib, and relationship challenges to deal with.

During that season's reunion, she even spilled that she probably shouldn't have been filming at the time, sharing with host Andy Cohen and her castmates, "I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown" (via People). She shed light on her departure from the show, but it didn't make it any less painful for diehard fans.

This one really hurt! After letting her life play out on television screens for 14 years, Vicki Gunvalson finally left the series that started it all — "The Real Housewives of Orange County" — in 2020. That January, the polarizing reality star took to Instagram to make her statement, writing in part, "I will always be the OG of the OC, but it's time to say goodbye to The Real Housewives of Orange County. It's been an incredible ride for 14 years and I want [to] thank all of you for your support, for your love and for 'whooping it up' with me along the way."

While her social media post made it seem like the departure was on her own terms, it was later revealed to be a different story. Gunvalson appeared on former co-star Kelly Dodd's podcast, "The Rick and Kelly Show," in 2022 and shared that she was fired because of her high salary, since newer talent would be less cost-prohibitive for Bravo. "I did get expensive. And I'm okay with that, I'm worth it. The ratings were the best they've ever been when we were on, and I, you get what you pay for," she told Kelly on the podcast, in true Vicki Gunvalson form. The star does miss her "RHOC" days.

Bravo viewers watched their courtship unfold and even witnessed their wedding, so it was shocking for some to part ways with the polarizing Jax Taylor and his lovable Southern beauty Brittany Cartwright. In December 2020, six months after their co-stars Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute were fired, Taylor and Cartwright both took to social media to share the news that they would be departing the series. 

Cartwright's Instagram post read in part, "The last 5 years on Vanderpump Rules have been some of the most challenging, rewarding and fulfilling years of my life. Although this is difficult to share, Jax and I will not be returning for another season of Vanderpump Rules. We are excited to take this time to focus on our growing family and share with you our new endeavors." Jax, whose post was later taken down, parroted a similar message. And though it seemed like this was on their own terms, a Bravo rep told Variety, "Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright will not be returning to 'Vanderpump Rules.'"

The reason for the couple's firing seemed to be linked to the same reason Schroeder and Doute got the ax — harassment of SUR employee Faith Stowers. Taylor's reply to a tweet from late 2017 resurfaced, similarly accusing Stowers of committing crimes. According to Us Weekly, the comment read, "She's wanted by the police for grand theft auto and 'awol' from military, bad idea to be on a reality show dude. Someone's going to jail."

"The Real Housewives of Orange County" lost a major pot-stirrer when Tamra Judge left the show in January 2020. After receiving an offensive demotion, according to sources at Radar, the star of 12 successful seasons quit the Bravo series. A source told the outlet, "Bravo bosses wanted Tamra to be [a] bridge from the old cast to the new in Season 15 and she refused. ... She was even more than demoted to a friend role. She'd have very little camera time." The source even shared specifics on what Judge's salary difference would be, revealing, "She would go from $900,000 a season to $20,000 an episode for just three show appearances, which would add up to $60,000 total. It was humiliating." 

Judge said a few words with a since-deleted Instagram post about her departure at the time, writing in part, "It's been a wild 12 years. But it's time for me to move on. I'm sad to go but I'm very excited about my future." Fortunately, fans didn't have to live without the star for long. In July 2022, it was revealed that she would be returning to the franchise for Season 17. 

One of the most shocking firings by Bravo to date went down in 2017 when Phaedra Parks was dismissed from "The Real Housewives of Atlanta." The star, who had appeared on the show since 2010 with her debut on Season 3, was let go amidst surprising circumstances, according to TMZ. The network chose to part ways with Parks following the revelation that she had been spreading rape rumors about her co-stars. Parks told Williams that their castmate Kandi Burruss and her husband Todd Tucker had been plotting to drug and sexually assault Williams. 

The allegations were caught on camera, but Burruss objected to their airing at the time. Despite the conversation not hitting the small screen initially, the allegations were raised during an episode of Season 9's reunion. Burruss was understandably furious when the rumors were brought up, stating on the reunion, "She and I, it had escalated over the years, but to repeat and say I would drug somebody, it's just a multiple level to that... She, as someone who knows me, knows I don't do drugs... You should understand that drugging somebody while they're drinking and taking them home is rape. Y'all accused me of being a f***ing rapist" (via the Daily Mail).

Considering how offensive the untrue allegations were, Bravo fired Parks from the series. 

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).