Vanderpump Rules is undergoing a major shake-up.
Bravo has announced that the upcoming 12th season will star an entirely new cast.
The new cast consists of ‘close-knit SUR-vers who are as complicatedly involved with one another as their iconic predecessor,’ the network announced in a statement.
Lisa Vanderpump will be returning and the upcoming season will begin filming next year. The new cast and premiere date will be announced down the road.
DailyMail.com has contacted a representative for NBCUniversal, Bravo’s parent company, for comment.
While the cast has changed over the years, last season’s primary stars were Ariana Madix, Tom Sandoval, Tom Schwartz, Katie Maloney, Lala Kent, James Kennedy and Scheana Shay.
Vanderpump Rules is undergoing a major shake-up
‘What a thrill it is to build on the legacy of this series by doing it all over again,’ executive producer Alex Baskin said in the statement.
‘With profound appreciation for the original group and their iconic run, we can’t wait for the audience to see a dynamic new group of co-workers and friends make their way through life together,’ he said.
‘Under Lisa Vanderpump’s watchful eye, the West Hollywood mainstay SUR — and now TomTom — welcomes the next batch of servers, hosts and bartenders rife with plenty of drama, situationships and frenemies,’ the release noted.
Lisa stated in the announcement: ‘The last 12 years of filming have been an extraordinary run full of laughter, tears and everything in between. I can’t thank enough those who have shared their lives.
‘How I love you all. In the restaurant business, one shift always gives way to another. Cheers to the next generation of Vanderpump Rules,’ she said.
Additionally, the show ‘will celebrate the past decade of heartbreaks, friendship rifts and scandals with a retrospective special highlighting the past 11 seasons’, the release states.
TMZ reports that the original cast learned about the show’s new direction last night.
The majority of the original stars were reportedly not too surprised by the shake-up, particularly after the show’s recent hiatus.
TMZ reports that the original cast learned about the show’s new direction last night
Insiders state the original stars will still remain connected to Bravo, with Schwartz, Lala, Scheana and her husband Brock Davies reportedly set to appear in the second season of The Valley.
The outlet also notes the original cast will be able to explore other opportunities in the NBC Universal/Bravo family.
The outlet previously reported that production had been filming SUR-vers back in September, however at the time insiders claimed they were shooting a new project.
A spin-off of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Vanderpump Rules first began airing in 2013 and followed the lives of the wait staff working for Lisa Vanderpump’s various LA restaurants.
At the time it also starred Jax Taylor, Brittany Cartwright, Stassi Schroeder, and Kristen Doute, all of whom are no longer on the show.
A spin-off of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Vanderpump Rules first began airing in 2013 and followed the lives of the wait staff working for Lisa Vanderpump’s various LA restaurants
Season 10 of the series, arguably the show’s most consequential, earned the program’s first ever Emmy nomination.
During that particular season, it was revealed that Sandoval had been cheating on long-time girlfriend Ariana Madix with co-star Rachel Leviss, a bombshell controversy that became known by fans as ‘Scandoval.’
The fallout was heavily explored on the following 11th season, but in April of this year it was reported that production on season 12 had been put on hold to allow the cast to ‘decompress’ following the controversy.
‘Everyone needs a moment to decompress after two very rough, intense seasons,’ a source told Page Six. ‘The cast is looking forward to a break from filming the show.’
Madix’s career flourished after Scandoval, with the star landing roles on Chicago, Dancing With The Stars, and even a hosting role on Love Island USA.
Sandoval, Madix, Scheana, Rachel Leviss, and James Kennedy pictured in 2018
But Madix wasn’t fully convinced she would be returning to the show back in April.
During an appearance at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, the star said ‘it would have to make sense for me’ to return, according to Page Six.
‘Our show has always thrived, it’s always at its best when it is at its most authentic and its most real, and I have to be able to show up and be real and be authentic in order for it to make sense for me,’ she said.
‘So that’s the question I would be asking myself going into it.’
In light of the news, Lala Kent and Katie Maloney paid tribute to their time on the show on social media.
Season 10 became a defining season for VPR after Sandoval cheated on Ariana with Rachel; pictured in 2022
Lala paid tribute to her time on the show on social media
Maloney shared a throwback from the show as she shared her appreciation for the time on the series
Lala acknowledged she had ‘mixed feelings’ over the departure as she reflected on her time on the show with a lengthy message and various throwbacks.
‘Where to begin. I was a young girl from Salt Lake City who made her way to L.A. I would introduce myself as Lauren, but because my childhood best friend referred to me as Lala, my nickname quickly stuck. Sur was a place that became home. I found myself not only sipping on vodka sodas there, but behind a hostess stand… it still to this day is the most intimidating job I’ve ever had.
‘A short time later the opportunity to be on a show called Vanderpump Rules landed in front of me. I have such mixed feelings right now. It’s no secret I do not like change. This is the exception. I want to say thank you for rocking with us for so many years. This show changed my whole life. I’m unbelievably grateful for every moment. I’m unbelievably grateful for Bravo, for NBCU, for our crew, the entire cast, and most importantly all of you. We rocked this b**ch until the wheels fell off.’
Katie posted a throwback from the show set to the theme song ‘Raise Your Glass’ as she wrote, ‘It’s a mixed bag. But I wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you for the memories and the love the last 11 years.’
