Fresh off the heels of news that Karen Huger was missing from The Real Housewives of Potomac Season 9 reunion, questions arose about what should happen if a star is absent from the highly buzzworthy reunion. With Karen’s reason being personal and surrounding her recent guilty verdict, it opened up a conversation about the grey area that has come up in the past when housewives miss their season’s reunion.
Whether it’s for personal reasons or private matters, The Real Housewives Cinematic Universe has seen a handful of cast members MIA, unable to answer the burning questions Andy Cohen has for the ladies. So, who has ditched their reunions, and what was their consequence? Here is a list of every instance a Houswife has skipped their show’s reunion.
1
Jacqueline Laurita
‘The Real Housewives of New Jersey’- Season 3
There was a time when the war between the Giudices and Gorgas wasn’t the central storyline. When The Real Housewives of New Jersey began, the story centered around the Manzo family. The Italian clan with the unique family tree kicked off the series with their own familiar drama. But once Melissa Gorga officially joined the fray, the tides turned, and a new side of Teresa Giudice was exposed. There is sometimes an overlap for the Bravo series where a season is airing and wrapping up while a new season is being filmed. Such was the case in the Garden State. The reunion of Season 3 was set to be filmed while new storylines began for Season 4.
Well, some events that could not be discussed at the reunion yet occurred that completely ticked off Jacqueline Laurita. Remember Strippergate? Well, that saga was filmed the evening before the reunion, and Jacqueline was irate at Teresa and what occurred. And so, she became the first Housewife to ever skip a reunion. As Andy Cohen wrote in his memoir, “Not All Diamonds and Rosé,” the head honcho wrote, “It was so confusing to the audience that we were in the middle of production on Season 4 during the Season 3 reunion, and something happened the night before that was so bad that all of their allegiances shifted. Everyone was so mad at Teresa, but they couldn’t explain why because it was a spoiler.” Jacqueline returned to filming despite missing the reunion.
2
Kim Richards
‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’- Season 2
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was a bonafide hit when the series began. It brought out the fabulous lives of some of Southern California’s most extravagant women living in on of the most infamous zip codes. Part of the allure was watching sisters Kyle Richards and Kim Richards.
However, for Kim Richards, her reality was bigger than the show. With the cameras exposing all facets of her life, it pushed her to a dark place that led her to deal with her substance abuse issues. After attending treatment in rehab, paid for by Bravo, Kim Richards did a one-on-one sit down with Andy Cohen rather than join the other ladies on the couches. In his book, Cohen shared, “When it was clear that it was a real problem, we wanted to be responsible, and we didn’t want to put her in a situation where anything could be exacerbated.” Kim returned to the cast for Season 3.
3
Adrienne Maloof
‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’- Season 3
Jacqueline Laurita was the first to miss a reunion. Kim Richards was the first to miss a reunion due to rehab. Adrienne Maloof was the first to miss a reunion and suffer the consequences. To kick off the Season 3 reunion, Andy Cohen infamously began with this introduction for the former star: “Adrienne Maloof’s final act as a Housewife is not showing up tonight.” Her refusal to attend the reunion meant that she was being let go from the franchise. While she may have had a legitimate reason not to be in attendance, Team Bravo was none too pleased.
When Brandi Glanville joined the cast as a “Friend of,” the infamous villain was known to stir the pot and antagonize just for the hell of it. Brandi decided to take it upon herself to expose a family secret that, at the time, Adrienne threatened legal action had it been revealed. So, it was censored. It was eventually uncovered that Brandi shared that Adrienne and her ex-husband, Paul Nassif, used a surrogate to carry their children. While Adrienne has admitted she’s regretted being a no-show, the die was cast, and she was out in Beverly Hills.
4
Luann de Lesseps
‘The Real Housewives of New York City’- Season 10
If you were to make a Mount Rushmore of Housewives, chances are Luann de Lesseps would be included. Countess Luann’s tenure on The Real Housewives of New York City has been turbulent. Much like Kim Richards, Luann needed to take care of herself rather than rant and bicker at the Season 10 reunion. In 2018, Luann checked herself into rehab for substance abuse.
She returned to rehab months following her arrest in Palm Beach, Florida. At the time of filming the reunion, the network said, in part, “Bravo supports Luann’s decision to focus on her health. She is part of the Bravo family, and we continue to stand by her as she copes with this challenging situation. At this time, we hope everyone will respect her privacy.” Like Kim Richards, there were no consequences for her absence as Luanna returned to the show for Season 11.
5
Lisa Vanderpump
‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’- Season 9
Season 9 was a turning point season for The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. One of the most beloved friendships in the entire Real Housewives Cinematic Universe was that of Lisa Vanderpump and Kyle Richards. But after a rocky season for both women, their friendship hit rock bottom. It was in such shambles that the only way to repair any semblance of the past was to fix it in a slightly toxic environment: the reunion.
Rather than put herself in the line of fire, Lisa Vanderpump chose not to attend the reunion. With presidence residing, this was her final curtain on RHOBH. The irony of the situation is LVP was vocal about the consequences for Adrienne Maloof when she was a no-show. You reap what you sow! Karma kicked LVP in the butt. While she may not have returned for Season 10, she still had her namesake spin-off.
6
Mary M. Cosby
‘The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’- Season 2
In the five seasons of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, no one has had a growth arc like Mary M. Cosby. The eccentric Mary has given fans whiplash regarding her story on the show. As a full-time cast member, Mary found herself becoming a meme queen, all while finding herself marred in controversy.
With accusations of being racist, as well as inquiries over her parish and church, Mary opted to miss the Season 2 reunion so as not to have to answer the accusations. She claimed it was “one-sided.” By not attending the reunion, she was let go for Season 3. But there is something about Mary that Bravo couldn’t live without. She returned to Season 4 as a “Friend of,” where one of her shinning moments was going on a solo adventure to McDonald’s in the sprinter van. She was then invited back for Season 5 as a full-time Housewife, having the best season in her career.
7
Jen Shah
‘The Real Housewives of ‘Salt Lake City’- Season 3
Perhaps one of the most infamous moments in Housewives history was the arrest of Jen Shah on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. As each season continues to get better and better, Season 3 of RHOSLC kicked off the action. After being found guilty of wire fraud, Jen Shah was awaiting her sentencing, which eventually resulted in 78 months in prison, which continues to be reduced. Nevertheless, her ability to fully appear at the reunion caused some friction as a back-and-forth occurred between Jen Shah and the network.
At first, she wanted to have a venue to speak about her storyline and address the inaccuracies, but when she shared that she would be unable to discuss her judicial proceedings, she was allegedly uninvited. “On September 14, 2022, I was informed by Bravo executives that I was not invited to attend the Season 3 Reunion,” she wrote. “I was disappointed because I would have no venue to confront inaccuracies and address my storyline with cast members. Out of nowhere, on November 29, two and a half weeks ago, I was invited to attend. I was elated to learn I would have a voice at [the] reunion.” She continued, “I was clear with Bravo that out of respect for the courts and a standing judicial order, I would not be in a position to discuss anything related to my legal case or sentencing.” Due to her prison sentence, she has not returned to the series.
8
Karen Huger
‘The Real Housewives of Potomac’- Season 9
Season 9 of The Real Housewives of Potomac was centered around the aftermath of Karen Huger’s DUI arrest. Causing immense friction and questions of morality with the women of the group, the Grand Dame’s life has completely changed. With the reunion being filmed following her guilty verdict, like Jen Shah, questions arose about whether Karen would be able to attend and discuss the legal proceedings with her sentencing weeks away. On the day of the reunion, reports circulated that she was, in fact, missing in action.
Karen Huger’s team eventually shared a statement that she went to rehab. Her manager said, “Karen made the important decision to enter a private recovery program, so she was unable to attend the reunion taping today. She was fully supported in this choice. We stand behind Karen as she embarks on this meaningful journey and are proud of her for taking such a significant step forward in her personal growth.” With her sentencing days away, it’s still unclear what Karen Huger’s future on Bravo will look like.

The Real Housewives of Potomac
- Release Date
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January 17, 2016
- Showrunner
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Scott Dunlop
- Franchise(s)
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The Real Housewives