After 11 seasons on Bravo, it’s hard to think that Vanderpump Rules could be canceled.
Unless, of course, you’re actually watching the show.
The truth of the matter is, fans are pretty disenchanted with the long-running reality show post-Scandoval.
Furthermore, the show’s new spin-off, Vanderpump Villa, is turning out to be a major hit.
So, is Vanderpump Rules about to be canceled? According to insiders, the answer might be yes!
‘Vanderpump Rules’ No Longer: Bravo Ready To Cancel After 11th Season
This week brought more bad news for the Vanderpump cast, as it was revealed that production for the show’s 12th season will not begin in May, as expected.
“Everyone needs a moment to decompress after two very rough, intense seasons. The cast is looking forward to a break from filming the show,” a source close to the situation told Page Six this week.
“Producers are excited to catch up with everyone when cameras eventually go back up,”
TMZ tells a slightly different story, noting that the Tom and Raquel affair has “consumed” the show’s current season, and audiences seem to be growing bored with it.
Producers’ new goal, the outlet claims, is to give the cast some time — let their lives “breathe” — in the hope that some new drama will develop.
The Ariana Madix Problem
And there’s the issue of Ariana Madix, who’s booked and busy, and who may be starting to feel like her reality career has run its course.
Ariana was recently announced as the new host of Love Island US, and she revealed at a recent book festival that she’s considered quitting Vanderpump.
“Our show has always thrived, it’s always at its best when it is at its most authentic and its most real, and I have to be able to show up and be real and be authentic in order for it to make sense for me,” she said at a book festival.
“So that’s the question I would be asking myself going into it,” she explained.
Other insiders have noted that the recent success of Vanderpump Villa might be a bad sign for the VPR OGs.
Is the ‘Vanderpump’ Franchise Diluting Its Brand With Too Many Spinoffs?
“Many may not know this, but Vanderpump Villa is actually a test to see if it can be as big of a show as Vanderpump Rules.”
An insider revealed this tidbit to The Sun, explaining that Bravo has seen the writing on the wall, and the future of Vanderpump Rules is bleak.
Fans are revolting, even organizing boycotts of the show since it feels so tired.
And this this new spinoff, it feels like a fresh start sacrificing the real face people come to see: Lisa Vanderpump.
The new Hulu show follow Lisa and her hot “world-class staff” as they serve guests of Chateau Rosabelle, Lisa’s French countryside estate. It’s got everything: travel, drama, and attractive problematic young people.
And fans are loving it so far! So, is it curtains for VR?
“Lisa is keeping an eye on the audience’s reaction,” a source explained. “Villa could replace Rules in the future, especially if VPR continues to sink and there aren’t as interesting storylines unfolding.”
Vanderpump’s Tricky Past
But isn’t the first time fans thought the show would be gone for good.
Reality TV stars are often encouraged to engage in outrageous behavior, but there’s a fine line between actions that are scandalously amusing from a distance, and those that are unacceptable under any circumstances.
And that’s a lesson that the cast of Vanderpump Rules has learned the hard way over the years.
Remember the summer of 2020?
Longtime cast members Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute were fired from the show after it was revealed that they had engaged in racially-motivated harassment of a Black co-star named Faith Stowers.
Newcomers Max Boyen and Brett Ciprioni were let go the same day after old, racist tweets of theirs were discovered.
Just as the dust began to settle from those scandals, the show was hit with yet another major casting shakeup.
Controversial series original Jax Taylor was fired from Vanderpump Rules, along with his wife, Brittany Cartwright. Well, ex-wife now that they’ve split.
That’s when the original rumors that Vanderpump Rules would be canceled began to spread.
Andy Cohen On ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Future
Several sites reported at the time that Bravo execs decided to give Vanderpump the axe. They were just waiting until after the holidays to make the announcement.
But Andy Cohen was quick to deny the reports, and shared plans to bring back the remaining Vanderpump cast.
“Listen, they’ve got Lala [Kent], James [Kennedy], Scheana [Shay], Tom [Sandoval], Tom [Schwartz], Katie [Maloney], Arianna [Madix], the new people,” Cohen said on his radio show at the time.
“I mean, that’s a solid cast. When that show’s going to start shooting again, I have no idea, but I’m excited. I’m excited for there to be a shift also.”
Of course, that was before. Now we know not only was the show not cancelled, but it was on the precipice of it’s biggest season ever.
How Vanderpump Rules Managed To Escape Cancellation Before Now
One word: Scandoval.
By now, we all know the tale: Tom Sandoval had an affair with Rachel Leviss that shocked the world.
A world that, up until that point, seemed to have given up on the show.
But Scandoval saved the show from cancellation, renewing interest in the Bravo staple that was ready to conclude after season 10.
But now, Rachel is off the show, Ariana and Tom’s feuding is feeling tired, and the scandalous former co-stars have moved on to yet another Vanderpump spin-off that feels more interesting.
Bottom line: with fresh and old faces on new shows with excited audiences, Vanderpump Rules days feel numbered.