Vanderpump Rules is undergoing a major shakeup.
Bravo has announced that the upcoming twelfth season will star an all-new cast.
The new cast consists of ‘tight-knit SUR-verse who are just as intricately involved with each other as their iconic predecessor,” the network said in a statement.
Lisa Vanderpump returns and the upcoming season begins filming next year. The new cast and premiere date will be announced later.
DailyMail.com has contacted a representative for NBCUniversal, Bravo’s parent company, for comment.
Although the cast has changed over the years, last season’s main stars were Ariana Madix, Tom Sandoval, Tom Schwartz, Katie Maloney, Lala Kent, James Kennedy and Scheana Shay.
Vanderpump Rules is undergoing a major shakeup
“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 a deep appreciation for the original group and their iconic run, we can’t wait for audiences to see a dynamic new group of colleagues and friends navigate life together,” he said.
“Under the watchful eye of Lisa Vanderpump, West Hollywood mainstay SUR – and now TomTom – welcomes the next class of servers, hosts and bartenders full of drama, situationships and enemies,” the release said.
Lisa stated in the announcement, “The past twelve years of filming have been an extraordinary series full of laughter, tears and everything in between. I can’t thank those who shared their lives enough.
‘How I love you all. In the catering industry, one team always makes way for the other. Cheers to the next generation of Vanderpump Rules,” she said.
Additionally, the show will “celebrate the past decade of heartbreak, friendship breakdowns and scandals with a retrospective special highlighting the past eleven seasons,” according to the release.
TMZ reports that the original cast learned about the show’s new direction last night.
The majority of the original stars reportedly weren’t too surprised by the shakeup, especially after the show’s recent hiatus.
TMZ reports that the original cast found out about the show’s new direction last night
Insiders say the original stars will still remain attached to Bravo, with Schwartz, Lala, Scheana and her husband Brock Davies reportedly set to appear on the second season of The Valley.
The outlet also notes that the original cast will be able to explore other opportunities in the NBC Universal/Bravo family.
The outlet previously reported that production was filming SUR-verse in September, but insiders claimed at the time that they were filming a new project.
Vanderpump Rules, a spin-off of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, first aired in 2013 and followed the lives of the wait staff who worked at Lisa Vanderpump’s various restaurants in LA.
At the time, it also starred Jax Taylor, Brittany Cartwright, Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute, all of whom are no longer on the show.
Vanderpump Rules, a spin-off of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, first aired in 2013 and followed the lives of the wait staff who worked at Lisa Vanderpump’s various restaurants in LA.
Season 10 of the series, perhaps the show’s most consequential, earned the program’s first-ever Emmy nomination.
During that particular season, it was revealed that Sandoval had cheated on his longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix with co-star Rachel Leviss, a bombshell controversy that became known to fans as “Scandoval.”
The fallout was explored extensively in the following eleventh season, but in April this year it was reported that production on season twelve had been suspended to allow the cast to ‘decompress’ following the controversy.
“Everyone needs a moment to relax after two very rough, intense seasons,” a source said Page six. “The cast is looking forward to a break from filming the show.”
Madix’s career blossomed after Scandoval, with star roles in Chicago, Dancing With The Stars and even a guest role on Love Island USA.
Sandoval, Madix, Scheana, Rachel Leviss and James Kennedy pictured in 2018
But Madix wasn’t entirely convinced she would return to the show in April.
During an appearance at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, the star said it should make sense for me to return, according Page six.
“Our show has always thrived, it’s always at its best when it’s most authentic and real, and I have to be able to show up and be real and authentic so that it makes sense to me,” she said.
“So that’s the question I would ask myself going into it.”
In light of the news, Lala Kent and Katie Maloney paid tribute to their time on the show on social media.
Season 10 became a defining season for VPR after Sandoval cheated on Ariana with Rachel; in the photo in 2022
Lala paid tribute to her time on the show on social media
Maloney shared a look back at the show as she shared her appreciation for her time on the series
Lala acknowledged she had “mixed feelings” about the departure as she reflected on her time on the show with a lengthy post and several throwbacks.
‘Where to start. I was a young girl from Salt Lake City coming to LA. I introduced myself as Lauren, but because my childhood best friend called me Lala, my nickname quickly stuck. Sur was a place that became a home. I found myself there not only sipping vodka sodas, but also sitting behind a hostess stand… it’s still to this day the most intimidating job I’ve ever had.
“A short time later, I got the opportunity to be on a show called Vanderpump Rules. I have such mixed feelings right now. It’s no secret that I don’t like change. This is the exception. I want to thank you for being with us for so many years. This show changed my whole life. I am incredibly grateful for every moment. I am incredibly grateful to Bravo, NBCU, our crew, the entire cast, and most of all, to all of you. We rocked this bitch until the wheels fell off.”
Katie posted a throwback to the show’s set with the theme song ‘Raise Your Glass’ as she wrote: ‘It’s a mixed bag. But I wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you for the memories and love over the past 11 years.”