Bravo’s New Shows and Revamps: What’s Coming in 2025 and Why It Matters
Bravo dropped a bombshell on May 7, 2025, announcing a slate of new and returning shows that’s got fans buzzing. We’re talking four brand-new series, a completely rebooted Vanderpump Rules for Season 12, and a casting shake-up for The Real Housewives of New York City that’s already sparking debates. The network’s doubling down on its reality TV dominance, with shows like The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, a Ladies of London reboot, The Valley: Persian Style, and Wife Swap: The Real Housewives Edition. Plus, returning heavyweights like Below Deck and The Real Housewives of Miami are set to keep the drama flowing. Let’s break down what’s coming, why it’s a big deal, how Bravo’s pulling it off, and what could go wrong if they don’t get it right.
The New Lineup: What’s on Deck
Bravo’s 2025 slate is packed. First up, The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, a new franchise set to premiere later this year. It’s focused on a tight-knit group of Rhode Islanders with deep community ties, promising family drama and generational feuds along the Ocean State’s shores. No cast has been announced yet, but X posts from users like @BravoTV and @JaysRealityBlog on May 7 hyped it as a fresh addition to the Housewives universe. Next, Ladies of London is getting a reboot with an entirely new cast, moving away from the original 2014-2017 run that starred Caroline Stanbury and Sophie Stanbury. Details are thin, but Bravo’s betting on new faces to revive the British-American glamour.
Then there’s The Valley: Persian Style, a spin-off from Shahs of Sunset featuring Reza Farahan, Golnesa “GG” Gharachedaghi, and Mercedes “MJ” Javid. It’s set to bring the same messy interpersonal drama as The Valley, but with a Persian cultural twist. Finally, Wife Swap: The Real Housewives Edition sounds like a chaotic experiment, swapping Housewives stars between franchises to stir up conflict. No premiere dates for these four yet, but Bravo’s press release, cited by Us Weekly, confirms they’re in development for late 2025 or early 2026.
Returning shows include Below Deck Season 12, premiering June 2, 2025, at 8 p.m., and The Real Housewives of Miami Season 7, hitting June 11 at 9 p.m. Next Gen NYC, a new show premiering June 3 at 9 p.m., will follow young New Yorkers navigating ambition and relationships, while Kings Court and the Las Culturistas Awards Show round out the fresh content. Established franchises like Below Deck Mediterranean (Season 10), The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (Season 15), The Real Housewives of Orange County (Season 19), The Real Housewives of Potomac (Season 10), The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (Season 6), Southern Charm (Season 11), Southern Hospitality (Season 4), and Married to Medicine (Season 12) are also confirmed.
The Big Revamps: Vanderpump Rules and RHONY
The biggest news is the overhaul of Vanderpump Rules for Season 12. After 11 seasons, Bravo’s hitting the reset button, replacing the entire cast with new SUR staffers under Lisa Vanderpump’s watchful eye. The decision, announced in November 2024, comes after the “Scandoval” drama—Tom Sandoval’s seven-month affair with Rachel “Raquel” Leviss behind Ariana Madix’s back—fractured the original group. Katie Maloney, an OG cast member, called the reboot “cheap” in an April 2025 Deadline interview, saying it should’ve been a new show entirely. Lisa Vanderpump, though, is excited, telling E! News on May 8 that filming is moving fast and the new cast brings “interesting characters” with plenty of chaos.
Original stars like Lala Kent, Scheana Shay, Tom Schwartz, and Ariana Madix are out, with some pivoting to The Valley. Lala, who’s dealing with a pre-cancerous eye condition requiring chemotherapy drops, hinted her rant about Ariana’s refusal to film with Sandoval may have sparked the reboot. Scheana, meanwhile, is eyeing a spot on The Traitors instead of Dancing with the Stars. Lisa, the only surviving cast member, insists the new SUR-vers will deliver the same drama, telling Bravo’s Hot Mic Podcast that the old cast’s “attitude changed” after years of fame.
RHONY is also getting a facelift. After a divisive Season 15, where Brynn Whitfield and Ubah Hassan’s Puerto Rico blowout left the cast fractured, Bravo’s hunting for new blood. Andy Cohen clarified on his SiriusXM show Andy Cohen Live on May 14 that RHONY isn’t canceled, just “between seasons,” with producers meeting 10 potential new Housewives. The reboot, led by Jenna Lyons, was already called “boring” by some fans, per Daily Mail, and ratings struggles have fueled speculation about cancellations. Bravo’s response? Actively seek “dynamic locals” to refresh the cast, though no names are confirmed.
Why This Matters
Bravo’s moves are a big deal because they show the network adapting to a changing reality TV landscape. Vanderpump Rules was a juggernaut, born from a 2013 Real Housewives of Beverly Hills episode where Scheana Shay’s affair with Eddie Cibrian sparked drama with Brandi Glanville. But after Scandoval, the cast couldn’t recover, and viewership dipped. A reboot risks alienating fans who loved the OGs but could breathe new life into a stale franchise. Lisa Vanderpump, who’s also exec-producing The Valley and starring in Hulu’s Vanderpump Villa, told Us Weekly in April that she’s focused on “passion projects,” and this new cast is her chance to mentor fresh faces.
RHONY’s casting shake-up is equally critical. The 2023 reboot with Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, and Jenna Lyons was a bold move, but fan reactions were mixed, with X posts calling it “disjointed.” Adding new cast members could fix the chemistry issues, but it’s a gamble—if the newbies don’t click, ratings could tank further. The new shows, like Rhode Island and Wife Swap, are Bravo’s attempt to expand the Housewives brand while keeping it fresh. The Valley: Persian Style taps into Shahs of Sunset’s loyal fanbase, and Ladies of London aims to recapture the original’s cult following.
For fans, this is a lot to process. BravoCon 2025, set for November at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, will feature over 150 Bravolebrities, including RHONY’s Dorit Kemsley and Vanderpump Rules’ Tom Schwartz, giving fans a chance to see old and new faces. But the absence of RHONY and Real Housewives of New Jersey from the confirmed renewals sparked panic, with Daily Mail reporting fan fears of cancellations. Andy Cohen’s quick rebuttal shows Bravo’s aware of the stakes.
How Bravo’s Pulling It Off
Producing a reality TV slate like this is no small feat. For Vanderpump Rules, casting is key. Lisa Vanderpump told E! News the new SUR-vers include long-time staff with existing drama and fresh faces to shake things up. Filming started in April 2025, and producers are likely mining real-life conflicts at SUR, just like the OG cast’s feuds. Casting calls for RHONY involve scouting New Yorkers with strong personalities and authentic ties to the city, per Us Weekly. Producers met with 10 candidates in early May, aiming for a mix that avoids the “boring” label.
New shows like Rhode Island require building a cast from scratch, which means extensive auditions and background checks to ensure drama without legal headaches. Wife Swap is trickier—producers must convince existing Housewives to swap lives, which could lead to epic fights but also diva demands. The Valley: Persian Style benefits from Reza, GG, and MJ’s established chemistry, but producers need to ensure their drama feels organic, not scripted. Ladies of London will lean on Bravo’s expertise in casting glamorous expats, but without OG stars, they’re starting fresh, which is risky.
Bravo’s also banking on cross-platform promotion. Shows will air on Bravo and stream on Peacock, with The Valley Season 2 already a hit, premiering April 15, 2025, as the network’s most-watched new series in a decade. Andy Cohen’s Watch What Happens Live and BravoCon will hype the new slate, with Cohen filming five live shows at BravoCon.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Reality TV is a minefield. One big mistake? Casting duds. RHONY’s Season 15 struggled because the cast lacked cohesion—Brynn and Ubah’s fight was juicy, but the group felt disconnected. Bravo’s fix is to cast locals with real ties, not just Instagram influencers. For Vanderpump Rules, the risk is picking a cast that can’t match the OGs’ chaos. Lisa Vanderpump warned on Bravo’s Hot Mic Podcast that the old cast got too self-aware, scripting their lives for the cameras. Newbies need to be authentic, not fame-hungry.
Another mistake is ignoring fan feedback. X posts from @queensofbravo and @gib
