Carole Radziwill Rejoins ‘RHONY’ In Surprise Franchise Shake-Up

According to a new report, Radziwill will join several of the series’ new era women for season 16.

“RHONY” is rumored to begin production on the upcoming season this week after a months-long hiatus.

Sources, including Variety and Bravo’s The Daily Dish, reported that Radziwill will join the cast as an official friend of the show for the upcoming season.

For those who may be unfamiliar, Radziwill first made waves as an official Housewife on the series in season 5, where she gave viewers a behind-the-scenes look into her grand life as an everyday New Yorker while navigating the highs and lows of her complicated relationships.

Radziwill left “RHONY” in July 2018 after the conclusion of season 10.

“After six seasons on Bravo’s RHONYC, I have decided to return to what I do best — journalism and producing,” she said at the time of her departure. “I am sure this does not come as a surprise to any of the viewers, all of whom have been supportive, encouraging, and kind.”

Radziwill continued, “My original curiosity about reality television has waned over the years, and I am focusing on TV and writing projects that better suit my more steady temperament.”

“I have worked with amazing producers, made great friends, and I’m thrilled to leave frenemies behind. I will remember this entire experience with delight, humor, and a veracious accuracy. Next,” she finished.

Radziwill’s return to the network comes after the TV personality and author began appearing in Bravo circles, including “Watch What Happens Live” with Andy Cohen in August 2025 and BravoCon 2025 in Las Vegas.

So, what has Radziwill been up to since she last held an apple on season 10 of “RHONY”? Well, during her “WWHL” appearance, the 62-year-old told Cohen that she’s stayed busy, making an even bigger name for herself in the entertainment industry.

She explained that she’s since started a Substack, in which she writes about “musings, cultural observations, unsolicited opinions on people, places, and things.”

“It’s sort of like my life with Carole Radziwill, and a lot of unpublished work I’m gonna put up there,” she said. “I like interacting with the fans, and the Bravo fans are so incredible, even all these years later…and so I want to give them something to read and think about.”

Radziwill has also kept busy with other projects, including investing in the off-Broadway play “Curse of the Starving Class.”

“I’ve had the opportunity to invest [and] support [The New Group NYC] in this thought-provoking play, written by Sam Shepard in the ’70s and still is relevant today,” she wrote on social media. “The play originally premiered Off-Broadway in 1978. This revival features the incredibly talented Calista Flockhart, Christian Slater, as well as newcomers Cooper Hoffman and Stella Marcus.”

Radziwill is the only legacy “RHONY” member set to return to the series at this time. However, many of the OG women, including Ramona Singer and Luann de Lesseps, will return to TV later this year in a series called “The Golden Life,” set to air on E!.

According to The Blast, the show will follow the above women, plus Kelly Bensimon, Sonja Morgan, and Dorinda Medley, as they take viewers behind the scenes of their new lives in the Sunshine State.

“Bound by decades of shared history, fallouts and friendship, this fan-favorite group of New Yorkers are starting fresh together in the Sunshine State,” the show’s synopsis read. “In this new ‘golden’ era of life, the longtime friends are thriving in and around Palm Beach with fabulous second homes and a bustling social scene. With their signature humor and non-stop hijinks, the series will follow the group as they navigate dating, family, and career milestones.”

Jill Zarin was also supposed to be featured on the show, according to The Blast. However, the network and production company fired the reality star before production even started.

“In light of recent public comments made by Jill Zarin, Blink49 Studios has decided not to move forward with her involvement in The Golden Life,” the statement read. “We remain committed to delivering the series in line with our company standards and values.”

Zarin’s firing came a day after the 62-year-old made overly critical comments about Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show performance.

“To me, it looked like a political statement because there were literally no white people in the entire thing. I’m not taking a side, one way or the other … I think it was an ICE thing. I think that the NFL sold out, and it’s very sad,” she said in February 2026.