Andy Cohen is lookin squarely ahead.
With a big smile on his face.
As previously reported, Bravo will be bringing Vanderpump Rules back for Season 12 — with a major twist.
There will be an entirely new cast.
According to a recent press release, Lisa Vanderpump will soon lead a new group of “close-knit SUR-vers who are as complicatedly involved with one another as their iconic predecessors” on upcoming episodes of this beloved franchise.
The new season begins production next year and a premiere date and cast will be confirmed on a later date.
“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 a statement late last month.
“With profound appreciation for the original group and their iconic run, we can’t wait for the audience to see a dynamic new group of co-workers and friends make their way through life together.”
How does Cohen feel about this monumental change?
“Bravo announced, or word got out, that they are revamping the show and I have to say, this is, first of all, the absolute right thing to do,” the host and executive said during the December 2 episode of his SiriusXM show.
“I am so impressed with how production kept the show going over the last, I’m gonna say four years, when slowly but surely none of them were working at SUR.”
Cohen went on to be critical of the storylines that were emphasized over the past few seasons.
“The entire point of the show morphed and changed as it went on, and it wound up that James Kennedy was the only one with any kind of footprint at SUR, because he was DJ-ing there occasionally and now he’s gone on and he’s got a residency in Vegas and he’s having great success and they’re all having good success outside of SUR,” explained Cohen.
Vanderpump Rules debuted in 2013, beginning as a spinoff of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills before evolving into its own quite popular franchise.
The show hit its pop culture nadir on Season 10 when we learned that Taylor had cheated on Ariana Madix with her good friend and colleague Rachel Leviss.
It’s pretty much known only for this scandal at this point.
This series originally followed Vanderpump and the-then staff at her restaurant SUR (Scheana Shay, Katie Maloney, Tom Sandoval, Kristen Doute, Jax Taylor and Stassi Schroeder) as they attempted to navigate professional and personal conflict.
Throughout the years, the Vanderpump Rules cast has grown to include Tom Schwartz, Ariana Madix, James Kennedy, Lala Kent, Brittany Cartwright and many others.
“Vanderpump rules, you will forever be that girl,” Madix said in her statement after the reboot news was announced. “i was up til 4am looking for all the right pics and the right words, but there’s no post or caption that could ever encapsulate everything.
“I am forever grateful to have been a part of such an incredible cultural phenomenon…
“thank you especially to the fans. you’ve been the constant over the last decade your love and support is what I’ll miss the most about it ending. you made this show what it is. to the fans who have shown up for us, old and new, it’s all because of you that we are here. im feeling at peace with closing this chapter and im excited for everything that is to come. i don’t know that these were the best days of our lives, but they were definitely something special.”
Added Jax Taylor on social media:
“Vanderpump Rules will always have a part of my heart. From what started as a crazy group of friends working together to make ends meet to becoming such an iconic series and pop culture phenomenon…so many memories both good and bad.
“Many highs, probably more lows…but I’m so thankful to have worked with such an incredibly talented team @thealexbaskin @evolutionusa @nbcuniversal. This isn’t goodbye…more like…see ya soon….on MY show- but for real this time.”
And LaLa Kent:
“It’s no secret I do not like change. This is the exception. I want to say thank you for rocking with us for so many years. This show changed my whole life. I’m unbelievably grateful for every moment. I’m unbelievably grateful for Bravo, for NBCU, for our crew, the entire cast, and most importantly all of you.
“We rocked this bitch until the wheels fell off.”