Producers of “The Real Housewives of New York City” suddenly scrapped the new season premiere because it lacked the explosive catfight-filled drama expected of the Bravo show, sources told Page Six.
Bravo boss Andy Cohen yesterday e-mailed Ramona Singer, Countess LuAnn de Lesseps, Jill Zarin, Sonja Morgan, Alex McCord, Cindy Barshop and Kelly Bensimon, explaining the show would be pushed back — despite the network’s already running promos for the Feb. 15 premiere.
“We decided yesterday that our best bet was to give ourselves a little breathing room,” Cohen wrote. “I would rather get the show right than rush it to air.”
He warned the cast not to tweet about it until Bravo could craft a press release.
The New York series is now expected to air in March or April, while the debut of a new franchise, “The Real Housewives of Miami,” has been set for Feb. 22.
Sources said that following good ratings for its brawl-filled Beverly Hills counterpart, the New York show didn’t have enough drama to satisfy producers, including new executive producer Omid Kahangi.
“They wanted the ladies to fight like cats and dogs, but they got along,” said a source. “[But] they are now freaking out that they’ll get fired for being boring and replaced by more fiery women.” Some of the cast members are also frustrated after planning splashy viewing parties at clubs for the premiere.
Insiders said that one option to up the local drama might be to bring Beverly Hills housewife Camille Grammer to New York, the location of her divorce drama with Kelsey Grammer, who is soon to marry girlfriend Kayte Walsh. A source said Grammer hasn’t been approached by New York producers, but that Zarin has invited her to hang out with the Housewives.
Bravo’s Cohen said in a statement: “No conspiracy here, folks. We have an embarrassment of riches with Miami and New York, and I assure you that ‘the Real Housewives of NYC’ will be well worth the wait.”