Lisa Vanderpump isn’t fazed by the rumors swirling about Vanderpump Rules ending for good after Bravo decided to hit pause on season 12’s production.
“Every year I think, ‘Oh, this is gonna be the last year,’” Vanderpump, 63, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting season 2 of Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars.
After dealing with the fallout of Tom Sandoval and Rachel “Raquel” Leviss’ affair during season 11 of VPR, Bravo is not filming season 12 of the series during the summer months as it had previously done.
“We’re taking a little breath here. I’ve got to open another restaurant,” Vanderpump told Us. “I think we’re kind of done talking about Scandoval/Sandoval. So I think everybody needs to have it kind of all breathe a little bit.”
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Vanderpump noted that she’s “kind of gone and done other things,” including her restaurant endeavors and pursuing other shows such as Vanderpump Villa and The Valley, both of which she executive produces.
The latter spinoff show, which premiered in March, features original VPR star Kristen Doute — about whom Vanderpump has mixed reactions to being on TV again. (Bravo announced in June 2020 it cut ties with Doute, 41, and other cast members for their past racially insensitive remarks.)
“We always talk about authentic groups, and I think that’s great,” she said. “These people, Jax [Taylor] and Kristen have been friends of Brittany [Cartwright] for years. So yeah, I understand how she fits in. Did she always drive me crazy? Yes. And would she still continue to? Yes. No surprises there.”
Amid the VPR hiatus, Vanderpump is keeping her plate full. She’s set to serve as one of the contestants for Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars, which premieres on Fox Wednesday, May 22.
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“When [Gordon Ramsay] first asked me to do it, we had a kind of playful relationship, albeit competitive because we had restaurants opposite each other,” she said. “But I just also thought it was very interesting on many different levels because it was going to be about the emotional component between the contestants, the business strategy, the challenges, survival of the fittest, the iconic places that we were gonna go. And ultimately how Gordon and I would handle each other.”
Vanderpump teased that there’s some tension between her and Ramsay, 57, who she said is “used to being autonomous, being the boss of everything he does and suddenly there are two bosses in the picture.”
“I had to make sure I made my space,” she said. “And there were a little bit of butting heads, but it was all based with respect.”
Part 2 of the Vanderpump Rules season 11 reunion airs on Bravo Tuesday, May 21, at 8 p.m. ET, while season 2 of Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars premieres on Fox Wednesday, May 22, at 9 p.m. ET.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
