Andy Cohen is all in on Carole Radziwill joining the season 16 cast of The Real Housewives of New York City — even if fans are confused about her connection to the core group.
“We’re excited that Carole is coming back as a friend,” Cohen, 57, told the crowd on Sunday, March 15, during a SXSW panel for NBCUniversal Media Group. “People love seeing familiar faces and old friends.”
The producer noted that he’s aware that fans keep asking, “What is Carole’s connection to this group?”
Cohen didn’t reveal exactly how Carole, 62, is linked to her new castmates, but he said this group is a better fit for her than her original costars. (Cohen and Carole also squashed their beef after feuding for years prior to her casting.)
“Carole keeps pointing out, ‘I actually know more people in this group than I did when I joined the original show in season 5 all those years ago,’” Cohen shared.
He teased, “It’s all organic” this season, adding that the Real Housewives producers worked hard to “get it right” with the cast after a rocky season 15.
“We know that the elements that are super important, certainly in New York and any other cast, is that the women have a deep connection as a group,” Cohen shared. “The new cast really has that.”
He explained that for a successful dynamic there have to be “real things happening in their lives” and those elements all have to happen “in front of the camera.”
Cohen added that having “a great deal of humor” is also key for fans to engage with the Housewives.
“We feel really strong that the next season is going to deliver,” he confirmed, noting that production is now underway.
Earlier this month, Bravo announced that Carole is returning to RHONY as a “friend” of the Housewives after she previously starred on the original version of the show from season 5 to season 10.
“In the marathon of life, loyalty is everything,” the network teased via X on March 2. “And because of Bravo fans’ loyalty, Carole Radziwill is returning to #RHONY as a friend-of for Season 16!!! ????.”
Outside of her time on RHONY, Carole is known for her work as a journalist and her marriage to John F. Kennedy Jr.’s cousin Anthony Radziwill. (The couple were married from 1994 to 1999 when Anthony died from cancer at age 40.)
Carole will join Erin Lichy, Sai De Silva and Jessel Taank, who all starred on the franchise’s rebooted seasons 14 and 15. (The original cast’s run came to an end after season 13 in 2021. It was rebooted with new women in 2023.)
Newbies Daisy Toye, Hailey Glassman and Erika Hammond will round out the full-time cast, according to Bravo.
Ahead of Carole’s casting, fans were unsure how RHONY would continue following a rough end to the second rebooted season in 2025.
During season 15 of the show, former star Brynn Whitfield caused a stir when she claimed costar Ubah Hassan made a rude remark about her allegedly sleeping her way onto the show after knowing that Brynn, 40, was sexually assaulted in the past.
Ubah, 42, remained adamant that she had no idea of Brynn’s trauma. Brynn, meanwhile, later confessed that maybe Ubah hadn’t “clocked it” when she allegedly told her about her assault, which caused the cast to question whether Brynn was being honest about the entire conversation. Both Brynn and Ubah exited the show following an icy reunion.
