West Wilson and Amanda Batula were certainly in the hot seat during the “Summer House” reunion, but the pressure didn’t push them to reveal much. In fact, it was the reverse, as the two TV personalities sat on the couch, stone-faced and silent. During a new interview with Noah Samton, the current SVP of production for Bravo and Peacock unscripted, opened up about their performance at the reunion, calling it “frustrating” and revealing why the network released a bonus episode on June 16.
“Summer House: The Aftermath” aired on June 16 and featured in-depth, sit-down conversations between Wilson and Kyle Cooke, Ciara Miller and Meija Moreno, and Lindsay Hubbard and Batula. Their conversations centered on Wilson and Batula’s surprise romantic relationship and its impact on the rest of the cast, specifically Miller, who dated Wilson in 2023.
The episode came as a surprise to viewers, especially because it aired following the conclusion of the three-part “Summer House” reunion. Speaking with Variety, Samton opened up about how the bonus episode came to be, revealing that it was cast-driven.
“Ciara reached out to the production company and said that she wanted to film a scene with Meija. I said, ‘I don’t really see where this fits in the show, but let’s explore it,’” Samton revealed. After that, Hubbard approached the production company and revealed that she was also looking to film with Batula, and Cooke said he had hoped to speak with Wilson.
“So, it was really driven by the cast, and we were very happy, obviously, to accommodate these, which could have been private conversations. I think West initially reached out to Kyle to have a private conversation, but as Kyle says in the special, the whole story unfolded on camera. He wanted this to be on camera, too,” said Samton.
Why ‘Summer House’ Needed A Bonus Episode And Why Batula And Wilson’s Reunion Performance Bothered Samton
The “Aftermath” episode isn’t something that usually happens; however, Samton explained that the key players in the “Summer House” dating scandal didn’t give viewers much to work with during the reunion.
“When you watch the reunion, as incredible as it is, and as great television as it is, you walk away feeling a little unsatisfied because of the way that West and Amanda handle themselves,” he said. “They didn’t explain themselves in a satisfying way. And then there was a whole separate conversation with Meija, who nobody knew anything about. To me, those were the three stories that needed to be fleshed out further.”
In the bonus episode, the “Summer House” cast members discuss Wilson and Batula’s relationship in more detail, something Samton said was important for the audience to see. “I think we didn’t get that in the reunion, and that was very frustrating for us. So I feel very happy that we were able to make a lot of progress in that ‘Aftermath’ episode,” he shared.
‘Summer House’ Exec Implied That He Was Confused By Wilson’s Lack Of Energy During The Reunion
While filming the reunion, Samton said he and the other producers were bothered by Batula and Wilson’s lack of energy, adding that they both had unique stories to tell.
“I thought there was a story for Amanda to tell, as somebody who has been divorced myself. I understand somebody getting out of a 10-year toxic relationship and behaving badly, acting out, and making crazy decisions. There’s a lot more to what she could have said at the reunion that would have been really interesting for viewers, and would have helped them to understand her. It was frustrating to not see her explain herself,” Samton said.
Regarding Wilson, the Bravo executive said he’s still confused by the Missouri native’s refusal to fully engage with his co-stars. “West, I still don’t fully understand. So I don’t know what I would have wanted to see out of him. But just something would have been nice,” he said.
Why Miller Is The Future Of The Long-Running Reality Show
According to a previous report from The Blast, Wilson was fired from “Summer House” and won’t be featured in the upcoming season. The rest of the cast is still up in the air, but according to Samton, there will always be space for Miller.
“I told Ciara a few months ago that I think she’s the future of ‘Summer House.’ She has a voice that we love on [the show], has the connections with the rest of the group, with Mia and KJ, and she’s tight with Kyle. She feels like she has become the center of the show. And that’s a story I want to continue telling,” he said.
Prior to his firing, Hubbard let loose on Wilson in a social media post, calling the “Show Me Something” podcast host “trash” for allegedly attempting to get her axed from “Summer House.” She also trashed the sports journalist for trying to steer viewers away from the bonus episode. “You should move, immediately!” she wrote.
Stream the full season of “Summer House” on Peacock.
