Lisa Rinna Announces ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Exit

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills will look much different in the forthcoming season. After eight seasons on the show, Lisa Rinna has announced her exit. The departure comes amid a rough season in which the actress has been called out for her controversial tweets, accusations of racism, and stirring the pot with her co-stars. “This is the longest job I have held in my 35 year career and I am grateful to everyone at Bravo and all those involved in the series,” Rinna told PEOPLE Magazine in a statement. “It has been a fun eight-year run and I am excited for what is to come!” She first joined the cast in season 5 and become a fan favorite. But as it turns out, Bravo honcho Andy Cohen wasn’t a fan of the casting choice. In a 2019 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Cohen said he “was wary of hiring a recognizable actress, feeling it would change the vibe of the show.” But now he “considers Rinna one of the best additions to the franchise.” 

In addition to the drama with her co-stars, Rinna also suffered a devastating personal loss. She lost her mother, Lois, just days into production last season. Rinna’s daughter, Amelia Gray Hamlin, announced the death of Lois on Instagram, captioning a post, “My guardian angel for the rest of time.. I love you so much my Lolo. You were and will always be much more than a grandma to me.. you were my best friend. My strength. My rock. My everything.”

Regarding her year of social media antics, Rinna blames it on the loss of her mother. “I have had a really rough time of it I think you’ve seen how hard this has hit me,” she wrote in July in a since-deleted Instagram post regarding Tweets deemed racially insensitive when she told viewers of color to watch Real Housewives of Dubai, which features primarily a Black cast. I’m sorry if I’ve raged on you, about you — it really has nothing to do with any of you.”