RHONY Star Claims Season 15 Filming Shut Down Early Due to Cast Drama

Jessel Taank says filming for “The Real Housewives of New York City” was cut short due to drama between two cast members.

During a panel appearance at the Hayu FanFest in London in October 2024, Taank spoke about the 15th season of RHONY, which is the second season featuring a fully rebooted cast. “Our season that is currently airing, we actually had to cut filming short,” Taank claimed of the Bravo reality show. “Someone got put on a plane, and someone got shipped to a hotel.”

“We had to separate, and they couldn’t film anymore,” she added.

Taank didn’t share further details on the drama that spawned the shutdown.

In addition to Taank, RHONY stars Erin Lichy, Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Brynn Whitfield,  Jenna Lyons,  and  Racquel Chevremont, with Rebecca Minkoff appearing as a friend of the Housewives.

Fans Compared Jessel’s Teaser to an Iconic RHONY Episode

Fans had a big reaction to Taank’s story. Some speculated that the culprits in the incident were Whitfield and Hassan, who have been feuding this season. Others speculated that producers just wanted to create drama for the show.

“Hmmm out of all the franchises all the seasons all the women being attacked over serious matters, these bozos had to stop because Brynn and Ubah’s drama was that deep? Puhhhhhhhlease,” one commenter wrote on Instagram.

“They’re just trying to drum up tea cause this season is beyond boring,” another added.

“It prob got cut short cause it was a snooze fest 😴🥱,” wrote another.

“So fake. This entire reboot is a SNOOZE and it’s a sad attempt to manufacture some buzz,” another chimed in.

Others felt the move was an attempt to mimic drama that took place during the original iteration of RHONY.

“Sounds like New New York copying Old New York – we had this with Scary Island. And nothing will be greater than that!” one fan wrote.

“This will never be scary island btw,” another agreed.

The “Scary Island” episode took place during RHONY season 3, episode 12. In the episode, then-cast member Kelly Killoran Bensimon argued with her co-stars during a cast trip to St. John.

According to BravoTV.com, Bensimon made history as the first Housewife to break the fourth wall by talking to a producer as the cameras rolled. She ultimately left the trip early and temporarily quit the show.

The explosive “Scary Island” episode was titled “Sun, Sand and Psychosis” and it remains one of the most iconic Housewives episodes of all time.

The RHONY Drama Could Involve Brynn Whitfield & Ubah Hassan

Where do we go from here? Find out when #RHONY premieres TONIGHT! pic.twitter.com/u0giF7v5jM

— Bravo (@BravoTV) October 1, 2024

While fans will have to wait to see the cast trip gone awry on the new RHONY, they could be on the right track by guessing that the drama involves Whitfield and Hasaan. Footage shot on June 24 and posted by Bravo TV on X saw the cast getting ready to pose for their opening titles, and the two women were going at it.

In the clip posted to social media, Whitfield is seen calling her co-star a “six-foot [expletive] toddler.” Hassan calls her an expletive before later threatening to quit the show, like in the “Scary Island” episode. “If you guys believe her, I quit!”  Hassan warns.

The castmates’ drama first started when Whitfield spilled that Hassan was dating German investment banker Oliver Dachsel before Hassan wanted anyone to know.

In the RHONY season 15 trailer, Whitfield later dissed Hassan for taking modeling jobs for the retail chain Dress Barn.  Hassan called Whitfield a “snake” that “nobody sees coming”