For 11 seasons, the Bravo reality show “Vanderpump Rules” focused on the life of restaurant owner Lisa Vanderpump and the complicated lives of the employees at her Hollywood restaurant SUR. In a surprising twist that nobody saw coming, now Bravo has announced that the show is coming back for a 12th season, but except for Vanderpump, the cast will be all new.
Former cast member Ariana Madix reacted to the news by writing a lengthy post on Instagram. She shared multiple pictures from her time on the show and shared, “I don’t know that these were the best days of our lives, but they were definitely something special.” She also thanked the cast, crew and fans.
Now, PEOPLE is sharing more details about why the cast is changing. According to a source that spoke to the outlet, the decision to hire a new cast of servers is partly due to the dynamics between the old cast. The source said, “There had been a long pause in production, and nothing had really changed among the cast since the reunion.” The source added, “Everyone was still stuck in their feelings and refusing to bend. The network felt there was no path forward with the group in that capacity.”
In addition, most of the show’s cast doesn’t work at SUR anymore, which makes it hard to move forward with the old cast. The source explained, “It just didn’t make sense to continue.”
On the other hand, with a new cast, there is the opportunity for new dynamics and complications that could make for some interesting TV! The source said, “This is an attempt to recalibrate and bring the show back to the thing that made it such a success to begin with. It’s a fresh start, and the players they have are interested and motivated to participate. Fans will be happy with what they see. It’s going to feel like a return to form.”
Just because the cast is changing on “Vanderpump Rules” doesn’t mean the former cast members won’t appear on other Bravo shows. The source explained, “The network isn’t closing the door on working with anyone in the future.” The source continued, “They will always explore opportunities to bring these stars back to their screens.”
Watch the video to learn more about this major change coming to season 12 of “Vanderpump Rules.”