Austen Kroll's Mysterious 'WWHL' Appearance Hints at Major 'Southern Charm' Drama

In a surprise video call, Austen Kroll spilled some major Southern Charm Season 11 tea in a conversation with Andy Cohen and Sarah Jessica Parker on Watch What Happens Live. Last season, Kroll made much of his new relationship with Audrey Pratt, asserting himself as a changed man in a newly mature relationship, after years of tumultuous and toxic Peter Pan behavior. Kroll cited the fact that he has been in therapy as evidence of this new step towards maturity. However, when asked by Cohen if he was still in a romantic relationship, at the behest of Carrie Bradshaw herself, Kroll allowed a long pause to fill the space, and ultimately deferred answering. His non-answer hinted at some major tea for the upcoming season of Southern Charm.

Austen Kroll's 'WWHL' Appearance Turned Coy

During a segment of the late-night talk show, Parker was surprised by a video call from a fan who had binged all the episodes of Sex and the City. As Kroll appeared on the screen, Parker jokingly wondered if they had forced him into the bit, asking playfully if he was contractually obligated to be there. But Kroll wowed Parker with his knowledge of the series, and was clearly giddy to be chatting with the A-list star. Eventually, Parker's curiosity took over as she wondered about Kroll's dating status, and Cohen pressed Kroll to answer whether he still had a romantic partner, which suddenly made the Southern gentleman turn bashful. After a significant and lasting pause, and an awkward neck scratch, the reality star boyishly replied, "Oh Andy, watch Season 11."

Cohen thanked Kroll and joked, "that's a good tease." This non-answer, after months of flaunting his new mature relationship, could simply be to generate interest in the upcoming season. Austen neither confirmed nor denied whether he is still in a relationship, but his coy demeanor suggested the possibility he is no longer dating Pratt after filming Season 11. Whatever the answer, Kroll's relationship with Pratt will obviously feature heavily in the upcoming season. Pratt made her Southern Charm debut in Season 10 with calls on speakerphone and a brief appearance on the series. This came only after she had been dating Austen for a year at that point (since December 2023).

What Can We Expect From 'Southern Charm' Season 11?

 

In a cast filled with lost boys that have struggled to find lasting connections, Kroll is not alone in his relationship struggles. Fellow Charmer Craig Conover was dealt a devastating blow when his relationship with Summer House star Paige DeSorbo came to an end. He and Kroll will likely be promoting their new restaurant venture together, By the Way. Shep Rose is also single after an embarrassing failed attempt to woo a Bahamian beauty blew up in his face last season. Luckily for him, his ex-girlfriend and fellow cast member Taylor Ann Green, who has loved rubbing his nose in his romantic failures, announced in April 2025 that she would not be returning for Season 11.

As for Kroll and Pratt, the pair do live in different cities, so there is a long-distance element that could have potentially worn down the bond between the pair while filming Season 11. Kroll denied engagement rumors to US Weekly in December 2024, bringing up the distance as a possible reason he was "not rushing" into any long-term commitments. And with Kroll's buddies in their single-era, it isn't hard to guess this will feed into the drama in the upcoming season. After years of acting like he couldn't be tied down, it will be interesting to see how a coupled-up Kroll behaves while filming the show with his lost boy buddies – newly-single Conover and interminable bachelor Rose. Filming seems to have put pressure on Kroll's relationship with Pratt, possibly to the point of terminating the connection, at least according to his coy WWHL appearance.

Southern Charm Season 11 does not yet have a release date, but will likely air sometime in 2026. Watch previous seasons on Peacock.