Andy Cohen has spoken out about the Vanderpump Rules reboot – with only Lisa Vanderpump returning and a completely new cast.
The Watch What Happens Host broke his silence on the shake up during his SiriusXM show Andy Cohen Live.
‘Bravo announced, or word got out, that they are revamping the show and I have to say, this is, first of all, the absolute right thing to do,’ Andy said on his podcast.
Adding: ‘I am so impressed with how production kept the show going over the last, I’m going to say four years, when slowly but surely none of them were working at SUR.’
Andy added that ‘the entire point of the show morphed and changed as it went on.’
Vanderpump Rules stars Tom Sandoval, Ariana Madix, Scheana Shay, Tom Schwartz, Katie Maloney, James Kennedy and Lala Kent, along with Lisa.
Andy Cohen has spoken out about the Vanderpump Rules reboot – with only Lisa Vanderpump returning and a completely new cast
While James Kennedy occasionally DJ’d at the restaurant he has now left for a Las Vegas residency and is finding ‘great success.’
He noted the the other castmates are ‘all having good success as well outside of SUR.’
The host said that the way season 11 ended was ‘the perfect way to say goodbye to the cast.’
‘If you look at the last episode of the last season, it really did, watch the last ten minutes of five minutes, it felt like an absolute series finale. So congratulations,’ Andy noted.
Last week it was revealed that Vanderpump Rules was being renewed for season 12 – but with the news that it would be a new cast via TMZ.
The outlet reported that the cast was notified one day prior to their reporting, and were not surprised.
Previous cast members also include Stassi Schroeder, Raquel Leviss, Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright.
The new cast consists of ‘close-knit SUR-vers who are as complicatedly involved with one another as their iconic predecessor,’ the network said as they announced the show’s renewal.
Lisa will be returning and the upcoming season will begin filming next year. The new cast and premiere date will be announced down the road.
‘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.
‘Bravo announced, or word got out, that they are revamping the show and I have to say, this is, first of all, the absolute right thing to do,’ Andy said on his podcast; Lisa Vanderpump, Jax Taylor, Katie Maloney, Stassi Schroeder, Tom Sandoval, Kristen Doute, and Stassi Schroeder in season one of Vanderpump Rules
TMZ reports that the original cast learned about the show’s new direction last night
Sandoval, Madix, Scheana, Rachel Leviss, and James Kennedy pictured in 2018
‘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.