RHONJ Producers Are “Back to Square One” After Unimpressive Test Filming
The Real Housewives of New Jersey producers are reportedly at odds over how to move forward with the upcoming 15th season.
On the heels of an announcement made by Jennifer Aydin, 48, on Thursday, which seemingly confirmed her departure from the show, an insider suggested that after Melissa Gorga, 46, reportedly test filmed with Margaret Josephs, 58, Dolores Catania, 54, and some potential newbies, producers were “back to square one.”
“After the test filming, the producers weren’t overly thrilled with what they captured,” a source told Radar Online on October 30. “At this point, they’re back to square one, and don’t know how to move forward. If they bring back the entire cast as is, they still have the problem of all of the drama they left off with, though there may be a slight change if Teresa Giudice and Joe Gorga/Melissa Gorga are actually able to make amends and stay true to that.”
While Teresa, 53, has reached out to Joe, 51, in an effort to make peace within their family, which would theoretically open up more possibilities for scenes with Melissa, the insider went on to note that it wouldn’t solve all the problems that producers are facing.
“You still have Danielle Cabral, who hates Teresa, Margaret, and Teresa, who don’t get along, Rachel Fuda, who doesn’t get along with Teresa, and Dolores in the middle. It’s a complicated situation, and that’s why Bravo’s still not sure how to move forward,” the source explained.
“The only definite is that Jennifer Aydin won’t be returning,” they added.
As for where things stand as of now, the insider said that when it comes to production, no filming start date has been scheduled quite yet.
“Things remain in limbo,” they noted. “It’s a sad state of affairs both for the cast and for the fans of the show, all of whom are clamoring for its return.”
On Thursday, in a lengthy post shared to her Instagram account, Jennifer confirmed she had not been asked to return for the new season.
“Hey guys, just wanted to hop on here and update you guys on a few things. A lot of you have been asking me if I’m still on the [show] or not. I can honestly say that nobody has told me anything. And they still haven’t told me anything. But I haven’t checked either. Life’s been pretty busy. And I would only think about it when people asked, which is why I would’ve liked to have known, so I can let you guys know. You know me, I like to keep it real,” Jennifer wrote.
“And all I’ve heard is what you’ve heard. You probably know more than me, actually. I’ve heard they are test-filming. And I wasn’t invited to BravoCon. So by the looks of it, I think it’s safe to say, probably not. And that’s OK. I’m good,” she added.
VANDERPUMP RULES TRAILER EXPLODES ONLINE: Back Alley Fights, Penis Pumps, and a Ruthless New Generation Ready to Claim the Crown!
The next generation of SURvers has arrived, and they are not here to play nice. Bravo has just unleashed the explosive first trailer for "Vanderpump Rules" Season 12, and it's a brutal, chaotic, and deliciously messy look at the reboot that has the entire reality TV world talking. The message is clear: the old guard is gone, and a new, hungrier army is ready to bleed for the crown.
"GIVE ME ANYTHING BUT DON'T GIVE ME BORING"
The trailer opens with the matriarch herself, Lisa Vanderpump, setting the stage for a new era of debauchery. "I used to say SUR is where you take your mistress," she purrs, "but now it is probably where you meet her."
What follows is a rapid-fire assault of pure, uncut Vanderpump drama. We see back-alley brawls, tearful workplace breakdowns, and accusations of betrayal. "When it comes to bro code, you don’t do that," one new cast member declares, while another fires back, "There was a boundary crossed with the way you were texting him." It's a clear signal that the iconic, toxic DNA of the original series is alive and well.
FROM PUMP-TINIS TO PENIS PUMPS: A NEW LEVEL OF CHAOS
This new cast is determined to push the boundaries even further. In a jaw-dropping moment, the trailer casually introduces a conversation about a "penis pump," with cast member Marcus Johnson coolly stating, "Athletes stretch, I pump. We all have a routine."
An insider source close to production confirms this is just the tip of the iceberg. "The Scandoval drama, as big as it was, became very insular," the source revealed. "This new cast is a tangled web of sex, lies, and ambition from day one. They are younger, wilder, and have absolutely no filter. The penis pump moment is just a taste of how raw and unapologetic this season is."
THE CONCLUSION
After the shocking implosion of the original cast following the Scandoval affair, the future of the franchise was in doubt. But this trailer is a defiant roar back to life. Lisa Vanderpump promised a new shift, and she has delivered a crew that appears more than capable of carrying the torch of chaos. While the trailer teases a nostalgic visit to Something About Her, the message is clear: the past is dead. A new, ruthless generation is here to fight, f**k, and cry in the back alley of SUR, and we are all about to be seated for the show.
Fire Country's Diane Farr Got Candid About Billy Burke's Exit, And Revealed How He Broke The News To The Cast
We’re five episodes into Fire Country’s fourth season; however, as the show continues to air on the
Following the end of Fire Country’s third season, there were questions about who was staying and who would be leaving due to reports about Stephanie Arcila and Burke exiting
I found out over the summer. None of us knew what was happening. Billy, Jeff [Fahey] and I went into the fire and we didn’t have any more information.
So, not only were fans left on a cliffhanger about who would survive the fire that Sharon, Vince and Walter were stuck in, but the cast was too. Sadly, the story didn’t have a happy ending, and that meant bad news had to be broken to the actors as well as the fans.
It turns out, Burke himself was the one to relay that news to the cast. Speaking about the note the Vince actor shared with his co-stars when he learned that he wouldn’t be returning for Season 4, Farr said:
It was very clear that the producers or writers were going to make some kind of change. It was Billy who told us all. He told the cast in a group note saying that he wasn’t coming back — it was pretty devastating. Everyone was sad and I felt like I was coming back in with only half my character because they’re so tied.
This really is a monumental loss, especially for Sharon, so it makes sense why Farr was so emotional about it. She also made it clear that she wanted her character to grieve the loss of Vince “for a really long time.”
Up until the start of Season 4, Fire Country’s cast of regulars had’t changed. While guest stars came and went, the actors who played Bode, Sharon, Vince, Gabriela, Manny, Eve and Jake were always there. However, that seriously changed this year. That was hard for all of them to swallow, it seems, but I’m happy Burke was the one who got to tell them. I’m sure it all meant a lot to everyone involved.
After explaining how she learned about her TV husband’s departure from Fire Country, Farr said she hopes Burke (and Arcila) will come back. While it would be easy to work Gabriela back into the story following her
I think now we’re always going to have the OG cast — the original seven. The hope for all of it is I would love to see Gabriela and Bode have a more adult version at some point. I would love to see Sharon start to have dreams where she sees Vince. This is the risk we take when we let these amazing actors go out and be free. They may be unavailable [to come back].
Well, I certainly hope all these dreams can come true, too. However, for now, the characters on the show are still very much grieving and dealing with the fallout and consequences of Vince’s death (like the
Also, behind the scenes, Farr did admit that she’s “still worried” about more characters leaving. That’s because the tragic reality of being a firefighter is that everyone’s lives are on the line, and that point was really emphasized by Vince’s passing.
So, now, to see how the story continues, you can watch new episodes of Fire Country on CBS every Friday at 9 p.m. ET, and you can stream new episodes the day after they air with a Paramount+ subscription. Oh, and if you have that subscription, you can always go back and watch old seasons of the show to see Billy Burke in action as Vince Leone.
