#Dorinda Medley Confirms ‘RHONY’ Exit Was Not a Mutual Decision

Weeks after announcing her departure, Dorinda Medley has confirmed that it was not her decision to leave The Real Housewives of New York.

Medley spoke with fellow former Housewife and friend Bethenny Frankel on Frankel’s new podcast Just B with Bethenny Frankel. The Skinnygirl founder encouraged Medley to speak her truth on this week’s episode, Medley’s first interview since parting ways with Bravo.

“Listen, I did not have a good season this year so I’m not going to make excuses for that, but I was doing real,” Medley admits. “It has been said that I probably should have taken a year off.”

She explains that her father’s illness, as well as the flood in Blue Stone Manor, added to her personal stress going into Season 12. Medley admitted she felt “very, very scared” at the beginning of the season following her breakup with boyfriend John Mahdessian, as well as breaking her rib.

Season 12 also marked Medley’s first season without costar Frankel. “When you left, I was really in a mode of coming back and being a powerful couple,” Medley tells Frankel. “So then I came back and I was sort of a toothpick in an ocean. I didn’t get my voice out correctly.”

The new addition of Leah McSweeney, plus Tinsley Mortimer’s midseason departure, further proved Season 12 was a transitional season for the franchise. “I had a rough season, but that’s what we do as Housewives,” Medley reasons. “We have good seasons, we have bad seasons, we come back and we change it up. I was looking forward to coming back this year…I was thinking [Season 13] was going to be my season.”

Now, Medley is in a “good place” and described the phone call she received from Bravo as she was making arrangements for the annual RHONY holiday retreat at Blue Stone Manor. “I thought I was going to have a great year. I wasn’t given that option. At the end of the day, was it mutual? No.”

Following fan backlash over Medley’s exit ahead of Season 13, the network has reassured viewers this can be a “pause” for Medley until she is ready to return. But as Medley tells Frankel, if she’s not filming, she’s not really a part of the series. “No one likes rejection,” Medley acknowledges.

“You wanted to make it nice! That was the truth,” Frankel says, supporting Medley.

Bravo has announced multiple changes for the Real Housewives franchises, including New York, Beverly Hills, and Atlanta. It has been confirmed that Season 13 of RHONY will feature new Housewives, and Page Six reported that motivational speaker Bershan Shaw has been spotted filming with the Big Apple cast.

Just B with Bethenny, Tuesdays, Apple Podcasts and Spotify