The Real Housewives of New York City’s Rebecca Minkoff is weighing in on Brynn Whitfield’s departure.
“I wasn’t shocked at all. I think that was in the cards before she even said she was leaving,” Rebecca, 44, told People on Tuesday, June 10, just a day after Brynn shared she was leaving the Bravo reality show after two seasons.
“After a lot of thought, I’ve made the decision to walk away from reality TV. For now,” Brynn, 39, wrote via her Instagram Story on Monday, June 9. “Last week, Hoppy — the dating app I co-founded and proudly serve as Chief Marketing Officer — hit a massive download milestone. I can’t even put into words how surreal it feels. All I want to do now is pour every ounce of energy into building Hoppy into the #1 dating app in the world.”
Brynn noted that she was thankful for her time on RHONY, adding, “[It] will always be one of the most fun, chaotic, and magical chapters of my life. It was the honor of a lifetime to help reboot such an iconic franchise. From day one, I’ve believed RHONY is a fan’s show — we’re just temporary custodians of something that truly belongs to the viewers. I hope I made you laugh (a lot), cry (a little), and more than anything — I hope there’s a TV in heaven so that Mimi (who LIVED for her shows) could watch me and be proud.”
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Brynn’s departure comes after a tumultuous season 15 in which she became increasingly isolated from her fellow castmates. During the season 15 finale, Brynn and Ubah Hassan got into an explosive fight that threatened to fracture the group. Brynn claimed that she had privately revealed to Ubah she had been sexually assaulted in the past, something Ubah denied knowing about. The majority of their costars supported Ubah and accused Brynn of lying.
In an interview with Rolling Stone in January, Brynn stood by her version of events. “It’s not right to assume that everyone remembers everything that you say all the time and then hold them accountable for that,” Brynn explained to the publication. “I know for a fact that I said it, but when someone’s screaming into the phone, the other person might not necessarily hear them. … I know what I said and I know that I did say it.”
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Rebecca, meanwhile, announced her own RHONY departure after one season as a “friend” of the Housewives in February.
“I am truly grateful for the experience, the friendships and the fans that have been part of this RHONY chapter,” the fashion designer wrote via her Instagram Story. “Time to turn the page.”
As well as Brynn and Rebecca, RHONY’s latest season featured Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank, Sai De Silva, Erin Lichy and Racquel Chevremont. It is not confirmed whether they will all return for season 16.
