The show must go on and Bravo is hoping for ratings gold!
According to multiple sources, filming on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City has not been affected by Jen Shah‘s arrest on March 30. As fans likely know by now, the reality star has been accused of running a years-long telemarketing scam that reportedly defrauded thousands of vulnerable victims out of millions of dollars.
However, Jen has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges and seemingly intends to prove her innocence to her fans by sharing her side of the story on the show. It appears Bravo is likely going to give her that chance.
“Production sees this as a great storyline,” one insider told Us Weekly. “One that everyone will want to see unfold.”
The insider added, “It’s ratings gold. They’re going to use as much footage as they can that they’re legally allowed to use.”
Of course, this is great news for the fans who are dying to find out how Jen’s co-stars are reacting to the shocking allegations.
“So far, they have filmed the lead-up to and aftermath of Jen’s arrest as well as her costars’ reactions, of course,” another source told Page Six.
For the time being, Heather Gay is the only cast member who has publicly acknowledged Jen’s arrest as she confessed to having “quite a week” on Instagram. But the source says the entire cast was “completely shocked when Jen was taken away.”
As for the network, they were proud of how season one played out and hoped to keep the momentum going by jumping straight into filming the sophomore season. Needless to say, they never expected the season two drama to be as riveting as it has turned out to be.
“It’s rare that Bravo has a big hit like RHOSLC on its hands right out of the gate, and the team hoped to continue that momentum when production for season two began,” the insider dished, adding, “Now, with the news of Jen’s arrest, they are sure to have even more success than they imagined, especially since Jen hopes to continue shooting if Bravo and her lawyers allow it. She can only say so much, however, as it remains an ongoing case.”
Though Bravo has declined to comment on the matter, Andy Cohen recently addressed the situation on his radio show after a caller prompted him to do so.
“Oy vey! I’m waiting to see how it plays out,” he said. “I have nothing to add to what we already know, other than I certainly hope and pray that none of it is true.”
As for Jen, she is reportedly “embarrassed” by her headline-making arrest even though it may not appear that way to fans considering her active presence on social media.
“Jen is really humiliated that all of this is happening in the public and that it will be shown on Bravo,” a source close to the reality star shared.
The Salt Lake City native is currently free on a $1 million recognizance bond, but if she’s convicted on all charges, she’s facing up to 50 years in federal prison. The trial date has been set for October.
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