Credit: Ovidiu Hrubaru/Shutterstock, Sophy Holland/Bravo
Heather Thomson explains why she quit season 13 of Real Housewives of New York City, discusses her infamous podcast episode, and seemingly claims the comment she made about Leah McSweeney assaulting her was blown out of proportion. Plus, she shades the current cast by suggesting Bravo is looking for new Housewives.
Heather made her season 13 debut last week, and she was immediately called out by the current cast for remarks she has made about several of the ladies on her podcast. Though she handled the situation quite well, viewers can expect some major drama to play out between Heather and Leah in the next two episodes, which they’ve both discussed in the press.
In a new interview, Heather revealed that she had initially planned to film with the women for the entire season, but after her fight with Leah, she claims she had better things to do.
“I get 24 hours in the day, just like you do and just like everybody else does,” Heather told Entertainment Tonight on June 1. “When it came to deciding how I wanted to spend that 24 hours after that weekend, it was pretty easy for me to decide it wasn’t with the girls.”
As for why Heather chose to return to the show in the first place, she said she was hoping to rekindle her relationship with some of the veterans. Unfortunately, Leah didn’t allow that to happen according to her.
“I thought maybe I had some old relationships that were deep and they had, still, some unfinished business, maybe, that I felt like we could talk about again and figure that out, but I didn’t really get a chance to do it,” she shared.
If fans recall, after Heather’s early season 13 exit was leaked to the press, she later claimed she was “assaulted” while filming with Leah. But when the former reality star was asked if she meant physically, she wouldn’t confirm.
“I guess you’re going to have to wait and tune in and see,” she teased.
“I said it very– the sensation in media these days really is something else,” she continued. “I mean, I actually am ‘in quotes’ on things that I’ve never even said. It’s just so funny. But it is the show and it is kind of the atmosphere of the show. So my intention was to lean into the project, you know what I mean? That was really my intention.”
The Yummie founder went on to say that when she and Carole Radziwill recorded that infamous podcast — where she seemingly accused Luann de Lesseps of offering her marijuana before “stronger drugs” came out during their cast trip to St. Barts in season five — she never expected she’d be returning to the show. However, she doesn’t take back what she said because she claims it’s her truth.
“Never in a million years did I think I was going to be talking to Bravo about returning when I did the podcast,” she revealed. “Which by the way, I wouldn’t have changed anything, if I knew I was. My relationship with Luann was not existent. It crumbled after I left the show, it wasn’t really there. I talk honestly about that. I always felt Luann left me holding the bag all the time on the show. She would do these things, then I would get stuck holding the bag and be like the bad person over, because she wanted me to lie.”
Though things didn’t work out for Heather with the current cast, she’s not completely ruling out a potential return one day. However, in order for her to return, RHONY would have to have some fresh faces, which she claims the network is currently looking for.
“I tested the waters, I didn’t sign the contract. I didn’t come back, but I never say never. Who knows what the future of Housewives will be,” she said. “I hope it’s a long positive one. I think casting is hugely important to these shows and I actually saw just recently that New York has a huge casting blanket out for their shows. So, I wish them all the best with that. If there’s any way that I can lean in and help, I would want to lean in and help. But I wasn’t interested in doing that with the current cast this season.”
RHONY Live Viewing – This is also a live viewing thread for tonight’s new episode of The Real Housewives of New York City season 13, which airs at 9/8c on Bravo. Feel free to share your thoughts below as the episode airs.