Bethenny Frankel is opening up about her decision to leave Real Housewives of New York City! The beloved reality television star responded to fans directly in a series of videos posted to her Instagram Stories in which she explained how she decided to leave the show.
She also addressed a recent tweet she sent out that revealed she was still legally married to longtime ex, Jason Hoppy, which led many to believe she had tied the knot with her now-boyfriend Paul Bernon.
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“So I’m in L.A. and I wake up and my phone explodes this morning,” Frankel began, as first reported by Entertainment Tonight. “I want to explain to you that this week I made a really big decision and I have been thinking about it and going back and forth. I just decided that when you jump, you fly.”
The Skinnygirl mogul — who has been on RHONY since 2008, and previously left in 2010 before rejoining in 2015 — said it was her decision alone to leave the show.
“When I came on to Housewives everyone, everyone told me not to do it and I went with my own gut. Many people, many people didn’t want me to leave, and then just very few people thought it might be the wrong time,” she said. “It doesn’t matter what anybody thinks when you make decisions, it matters what you think and sometimes you don’t even know what you think.”
Frankel then added, holding back tears, “Just a moment, two days ago, I just said, ‘You know what, let’s do it. Let it ride.’”
“I was really emotional. I spent a quarter of my life on that network and on many different shows, and it’s a very emotional time. I’m happy and I’m excited but it’s just part of me. It’s been so amazing to me and given me amazing experiences and opportunities. I’m so grateful.”
She then clarified the tweet in which she said she was the only cast member of the series who is “actually married.” The message led many fans to believe she and Bernon had gotten married.
“I then yesterday wanted to really take time to think about the women and the women on my show that I’m rooting for and I was part of this fabric of this show with. I wanted to say, ‘Go get ’em and you’re going to be great and I’m here to help and I’m rooting for you.’ I paved a way for women to reach their dreams or believe that it’s possible and I wanted to just say, ‘Go get ’em.’”
“I’m not newly married,” she added. “I was the only legally married Housewife on The Real Housewives of New York.”
Frankel first revealed the news of her departure from the Bravo series Wednesday.
“I have decided to leave the Housewives franchise to explore my next chapter,” Frankel said in a statement to Variety. “It’s time to move on and focus on my daughter, my philanthropy and my production partnership with Mark Burnett, producing and starring in shows which represent a shift in the conversation for women. With the changes in modern culture, I want to highlight the strength, confidence and unstoppable power that women have. My experience at Bravo has been an incredibly magical ride. I am so grateful to them for highlighting my entrepreneurialism and allowing me to pave the way for many women to achieve their goals. I am excited for my future. The best is yet to come.”
