Bravo Stars Humiliating Secrets Exposed A-Z

Who exactly is at the top of the Bravo food chain?  

The network has produced countless stars since embracing reality television in the noughties, but several have climbed to the top of the totem pole in both popularity and success. 

In fact, the fandom is so passionate about their beloved TV celebrities that the network created an annual convention where viewers travel far and wide to meet them. Not to mention, a host of podcasters and bloggers exist exclusively to cover the shows.

Naturally, the question then arises: who is considered a Bravo A-lister?

The Daily Mail has revealed our picks for the biggest Bravo stars - and the Z-listers whose deeds both on and off camera have turned them into the network pariahs.

A-LIST 

Kyle Richards

For more than 20 years, the socialite has ruled the Rodeo Drive roost - and shows no signs of slowing down. Season after season, Richards' life is frequently a major storyline - proving her enduring staying power.

Her time on camera has even extended beyond of the realm of Bravo. Rather early on in her career, Richards, 57, was meme-ified after an image of her in the middle of an argument was paired with a cat at a dinner table, a meme that is still used to this day online.

OG Bravo star Kyle Richards easily tops our list as a member of the network's A-list

The glamorous socialite has been on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills since 2010

Heather Gay 

A star of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, Gay's rise to the top of the fray comes after she departed the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

While she has been outspoken about the religion, she has forged a reputation of her own outside her former life as a Mormon.  

In 2024, Gay, 51, shouted this iconic line after learning a former gossip had infiltrated the Housewives: 'Receipts, proof, timeline, screenshots! F**king everything!' 

That exclamation heard across Bravo Nation became a phenomenon, spawned a line of merchandise, was referenced on Jeopardy and even landed on Capitol Hill. That year, Representative Robert Garcia quoted the line during a hearing: 'And what do we have as Democrats? We have receipts, proof, a timeline, screenshots.'

Gay - also the author of two bestselling books, Bad Mormon and Good Time Girl - recently she suggested something romantic had occurred between herself and another Bravo heartthrob, Captain Jason Chambers of Below Deck.

Heather Gay of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City has also clinched a spot on our A-list 

She famously told off one cast member when they were exposed as a former secret blogger 

Captain Jason Chambers 

Speaking of...

Arguably one of the biggest hunks to emerge from the franchise, Captain Jason Chambers has been making fans swoon since joining Below Deck in 2022. 

Despite Gay's claim of a romantic liaison, the 53-year-old has since denied it, though he's certainly stolen the hearts of Redditors: 'Captain Jason is so relaxed, and kind with his staff, but also cracks down when he needs to (the sous chef who left early in the latest season) but he is generous with his time and kind words,' one wrote.

Captain Jason Chambers is the hunk of Bravo Nation

Captain Jason Chambers has been making fans swoon since joining the network

Andy Cohen 

Not only does Andy Cohen run Bravo Nation, he rules it.

The TV icon serves as an executive producer on many of the network's shows, moderates their dramatic reunions and hosts an array of Bravolebrities on his own talk show, Watch What Happens Live.

No one can wrangle a group of bickering Housewives quite or put a guest at ease quite like Cohen. 

And his popularity has extended beyond the world of Bravo - every December 31st the 57-year-old rings in the New Year with BFF Anderson Cooper in a televised, booze-fueled celebration.

Andy Cohen is a member of Bravo royalty

Every New Years Eve, he helps the world ring in the New Year in a booze-fueled celebration  

Luann de Lesseps 

Our list wouldn't be complete without fan favorite and Bravo OG Luann de Lesseps. 

'The Countess' has been a member of the network since 2008, when she joined The Real Housewives of New York City. But just two years later, she ended her marriage to Count Alexandre de Lesseps after his alleged infidelity.

Through the ups and the downs (including a short-lived marriage to businessman Tom D’Agostino Jr), de Lesseps, 60, remained a mainstay on camera until the show was recast in 2022. Even then, she continued appearing on our screens on Ultimate Girls Trip, Love Hotel and Welcome to Crappie Lake. 

She has also launched a cabaret career, and she'll be embarking on a tour in both Australia and the US this year. 

'She has the best character arc of all the housewives,' one Redditor said. 'From her lecturing Bethenny about how the chauffeur should call her, to the etiquette book, to Money Can’t Buy You Class, to falling in the bushes, Tom, getting arrested, becoming a cabaret star… My head is spinning. What a life. What a legend.' 

Our A-list wouldn't be complete without Bravo all-star Luann de Lesseps 

Ever since joining the network in 2008, Luann has remained a fan favorite 

Padma Lakshmi 

Bravo OG Padma Lakshmi is another mega star who has landed on our A-list.

The host of Top Chef, this model-turned-foodie joined the high-stakes cooking competition show back in 2006.

While she has since left, she is now in a league of her own. 

A bestselling author, Lakshmi, 55, continues sharing her culinary expertise with a broader audience. She starred in the food-centric show Taste The Nation followed by America's Culinary Cup. 

Top Chef star Padma Lakshmi is among our Bravo A-listers

Lakshmi is sharing her food expertise with the world outside of Bravo

Paige DeSorbo 

Summer House alum Paige DeSorbo is having a moment following her split from Craig Conover last year and is making a name for herself outside of the world of Bravo. 

DeSorbo, 33, hosts the popular podcast Giggly Squad with fellow Summer House alum Hannah Berner and also released a ready-to-wear line, Daphne. 

Over the summer she received the Allison Williams Cool Girl Award at the Las Culturistas Culture Awards. 

Summer House star Paige DeSorbo

Ariana Madix 

Who knew heartbreak could completely catapult someone's career? 

In the case of Ariana Madix, it changed hers for the better.  

For nearly ten years, she was among one of the stars of Vanderpump Rules and devoted girlfriend to Tom Sandoval. 

All seemed picture perfect until 2023 when it emerged her partner had been cheating on her with their mutual friend in a betrayal dubbed 'Scandoval.'

As devastated as she was, the heartbreak turned Madix, 40, into the hottest Bravo star of the moment. Post-Scandoval, she nabbed a coveted spot on Dancing With The Stars, starred as Roxie Hart in Chicago on Broadway and now hosts the wildly-popular dating show Love Island. 

'I have never seen an episode of Vanderpump in my life but I am quickly starting to love Ariana!' one Redditor in the Love Island forum said in 2024. 'She is an incredible host and she's starring in Chicago on Broadway starting in August. Absolutely unreal.'

Ariana Madix became the Bravo star of the moment following the betrayal of 'Scandoval' 

She scored a spot on Dancing With The Stars

Pictured: Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix 

Z-LIST

Jen Shah 

Once-glamorous Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Jen Shah tops our Z-list after undergoing a dramatic fall from grace. 

In 2023, Shah, 52, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison after she plead guilty to wire fraud charges tied to a multimillion-dollar scheme which duped thousands of victims, many of them seniors. 

Shah's arrest in March 2021 was famously captured on Bravo cameras during season two of RHOSLC, cementing her place in Housewives history. 

Shah initially proclaimed her innocence, even doubling down during reunion specials, but ultimately pled guilty in July 2022 — months after her former assistant and co-conspirator, Stuart Smith, pled guilty.

She has since been released following several sentence reductions but there seems to be no coming back for her - even Cohen has said he hoped to never see her again. 

'Jen Shah, I never want to see again,' he previously told the Watch What Happens Live audience. 

The once-glamorous Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Jen Shah tops our Z-list following her criminal conviction

Shah was sentenced to more than six years in prison at a Manhattan courthouse after she plead guilty to wire fraud charges tied to a multimillion-dollar scheme

Jax Taylor 

A long-time villain who has been with the network since 2013, Jax Taylor's time on Bravo has not been without controversy. 

Taylor, 46, joined the network as a SUR bartender in Vanderpump Rules but he became known more for his bad behavior than the drinks he was slinging. 

From cheating scandals with numerous girlfriends (including betraying future wife Brittany Cartwright), brushes with the law and sleeping with his best friend Tom Sandoval's girlfriend - Taylor was far from the clean-cut type. 

He eventually was fired from the series in 2020 but redeemed himself enough to return to the spin-off, The Valley, with Cartwright.

By that point they had been married for six years but as viewers would soon find out, their relationship was doomed.

While he completed a stint in rehab, he has since announced he would be 'stepping away' from the show to focus on his mental health, sobriety and co-parenting son Cruz with Cartwright.  

There is no redemption for Bravo villain Jax Taylor

James Kennedy 

Another controversial figure to make our Z-list is former Vanderpump Rules star James Kennedy.

A DJ who spun tunes at SUR's weekly See You Next Tuesday parties, Kennedy, 34, is another star who has faced scrutiny. 

He was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence in December 2024, after an argument with then-girlfriend Ally Lewber. Ultimately no charges were filed and Lewber went on to tell People that she was not 'hurt physically' in the incident. 

Since then, Kennedy got sober and avoided the spotlight for some time, though his DJ career remains active. 

As for Bravo, there's no indication of him returning to the network. 

'I mean he was cancelled in the bravoverse. He was at no events for bravocon despite being in town,' one Redditor quipped. 

Former Vanderpump Rules star James Kennedy has sparked controversy

HONORABLE MENTIONS 

While they didn't make our rankings, these Bravolebrities still earned a shout-out from our expert. From the most inspiring stars to the ones who divide audiences, these are the celebs who we couldn't not include in our round-up. 

Teddi Mellencamp: Most Inspiring Bravolebrity

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Teddi Mellencamp easily earned a nod as our most Inspiring Bravolebrity. 

Last year in particular was hellish for Mellencamp - on top of a divorce from her husband of more than ten years, Edwin Arroyave, she also announced her battle with stage four cancer.

The star, 44, was first diagnosed with melanoma in 2022, and revealed in April of this year that the cancer had reached stage four and metastasized to her lungs and brain.

She underwent 17 surgeries, but in spite of the interventions, the doctors did not realize the extent to which her illness had advanced through to her internal organs.

Mellencamp has been transparent with fans amid her health battle and was happy to report last year that her cancer was now 'undetectable' in an emotional video.

But last week her famous father John Mellencamp said his daughter was still 'suffering.'  

'I do have a daughter that's really sick. It's not f**king fun,' the Jack & Diane singer said during an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience. 'She's got cancer in the brain and she's suffering right now.' 

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Teddi Mellencamp has earned a nod as our most inspiring Bravolebrity

The star, 44, was first diagnosed with melanoma in 2022, and revealed in April of last year that the cancer had reached stage four and metastasized to her lungs and brain

Vicki Gunvalson: The Star Making a Comeback 

For 14 years, fans watched Vicki Gunvalson's ups and downs (including a boyfriend who landed at the center of a fake cancer scandal) on The Real Housewives of Orange County before she departed in 2020.

But now Gunvalson, 63, seems poised to make a comeback.

During BravoCon, Andy Cohen offered Gunvalson an orange and asked if she would like to return to the cast: 'Vicki, would you join us as a housewife for season 20?'

An elated Vicki replied, 'Yes!'

Vicki Gunvalson is making a comeback after she was asked back onto the Real Housewives of Orange County

Gunvalson's life was laid bare on small screens as one of the Bravo OGs

Jerry O'Connell: Possible Andy Cohen Successor 

While actor Jerry O'Connell isn't on any of the network's shows, he is a massive fan whose passion makes him our choice to lead Bravo Nation in the event Andy Cohen retires. 

Cohen himself has said he would hope to pass the torch to O'Connell, 51.

'I was on Call Her Daddy a couple of weeks ago, they asked me who I would want to succeed me if I retired,' Cohen said at his Ask Andy panel during BravoCon last year. 'I go, "I don't want to retire and I don't want anyone to succeed me," but I said, "Jeff [Lewis] or Jerry!" And after today it's not Jeff, so it's you Jerry!'

'We can tag team!' O'Connell replied. 

Jerry O'Connell is our favorite to succeed Andy Cohen and lead Bravo Nation 

Cohen has said he would like to pass the torch to O'Connell in the event he retires. (Pictured with O'Connell's wife Rebecca Romijn)

Phaedra Parks: Most Buzzworthy 

Real Housewives of Atlanta star Phaedra Parks also earned a shout-out after making a comeback onto the network. 

Parks, 52, joined RHOA in 2010 but rumors she spread in season nine led to her ousting from the show. 

But she made a comeback, appearing in the spin-off The Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip, Married to Medicine and even nearly won Traitors in 2024.

Last year she was crowned Greatest Shade Thrower at BravoCon Live, and she's even been welcomed back to The Real Housewives of Atlanta, returning as a full-time cast member last year. 

'I heard you were looking for me. Here y’all go,' she said as she returned to the show.  'I'm back where I belong. Baby, I am home.'

Phaedra Parks has been welcomed back to The Real Housewives of Atlanta, returning as a full-time cast member last year

Brittany Cartwright: Biggest Sweetheart 

In a show revolving around toxicity and salacious gossip, Brittany Cartwright was a wholesome ray of sunshine on Vanderpump Rules. 

Hailing from Alabama, this charming star caught the eye of Taylor during a trip to Las Vegas.

Despite her outsider status, that didn't stop Taylor and the rest of the cast for falling for the 37-year-old.  

Her 'aww shucks' personality, bubbly demeanor (and who could forget her grandmother Meemaw?) earned her the honor as our Biggest Sweetheart. 

Brittany Cartwright has earned the honor of being our Biggest Sweetheart

Tamra Judge: The Bravolebrity Ruffling Feathers 

Another Bravo OG to earn a shout-out is Real Housewives of Orange County star Tamra Judge. 

The host of the popular Two Ts in a Pod podcast alongside Mellencamp and recent contestant on The Traitors, Judge, 58, has been with the franchise since 2007 but has also become a lightning rod for controversy. 

Last year Rolling Stone defended the star against calls for her firing from the franchise in an article titled, In Defense of Tamra Judge, Bravo’s Most Polarizing Real Housewife.

'The RHOC villain has had a bad season, and now fans are calling for her to be fired. That would be a huge mistake,' their introductory line read. 

Bravo OG and RHOC star Tamra Judge

Bethenny Frankel: Biggest Success Story 

She's the Bravo OG whose money moves reportedly made her a fortune.

Bethenny Frankel, 55, was among the original cast of The Real Housewives of New York and ruffled feathers with cast and fans, eventually leaving for good in 2019.

But she's arguably become the show's biggest success story - outside of Bravo, she became the host of her eponymous (but ill-fated) talk show, launched a podcast and sold Skinnygirl Cocktails for an estimated $100 million. 

She also embarked on a crusade to unionize reality stars in 2023, but her efforts seem to have fizzled. In recent years, however, she has become a bit of a consumer advocate on social media, offering reviews on a number of products and offerings.  

Bravo OG Bethenny Frankel is our choice for biggest success story

Frankel rose to fame on the original season of The Real Housewives of New York. (Pictured in 2015)

Tom Sandoval: Most Controversial Bravolebrity 

The mere mention of his name is enough to make Bravo fans roll their eyes.

Tom Sandoval was once a beloved star on Vanderpump Rules - a bartender and devoted to partner to long-time girlfriend Ariana Madix. 

But in 2023, everything changed. He cheated on Madix with their mutual friend and castmate, Rachel Leviss - and become the cast pariah. 

Tom Sandoval made our list for Most Controversial Celebrity 

The dramatic affair and aftermath was nicknamed 'Scandoval' and the Vanderpump Rules as the world knew it lasted for one more season before the entire show was recast.

While Sandoval faced public ridicule over the affair, he hasn't completely been shunned; he was at BravoCon in 2025, competed on Traitors, Special Forces and even America's Got Talent.