The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills has entertained viewers with its drama, luxury, and larger-than-life characters since its debut. Among those, Lisa Rinna spent about eight years bringing her brand of sass and contributing to the show with her unfiltered attitude.
She first appeared as a guest on the fourth season at Kyle Richards’ fashion show, quickly becoming one of the viewers’ favorites when she joined the rest of the main cast in Season 5. Some big moments marked Rinna’s journey on RHOBH, including the most infamous Amsterdam scene with Kim Richards and her final showdown with Sutton Stracke at a wine-tasting party.
After years of entertaining viewers, she finally quit the show in 2023, leaving fans guessing about the reasons behind it. There turned out to be several factors that reasoned her exit, from challenges in production to a few personal revelations, all of which came into play in her RHOBH experience.
Possible behind-the-scenes reasons for Lisa Rinna’s departure from RHOBH
Though she seemed to enjoy the whole filming process of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Lisa Rinna had some pretty heavy statements regarding how the show was presented to viewers. In a conversation with Interview, she said,
Filming is one thing. But once you see it, once it goes out into the universe, that I don’t love, because it takes on a life of its own. When filming, you have your drama, but it’s contained in a sense. And once it goes out, you get opinions and all the stuff that goes on, that’s the part I don’t like. Does that make sense?
Editing became a particular concern for Rinna. She put down with honesty that cast members’ happiness often depended upon receiving “a nicer edit,” which implied her increasing frustration with how a scene was developed and perceived by audiences.
This discontent allegedly became one of the reasons for her exit, as noted in the first episode of RHOBH Season 13. According to the show, Rinna submitted her resignation via email, where she wrote (via People),
I will not be renewing my contract, and I will not be coming back to RHOBH. Thank you so much for 8 years. All the best.
However, this complicated the general evolution of the atmosphere at the show. Talking about Rinna’s exit, Erika Jayne said she felt alone at Dorit Klemsley’s spiritual retreat, conveying the effect of Rinna’s departure on the dynamics of the show.
Lisa Rinna’s mother’s spiritual influence
In an interview with The Evening Standard, Rinna revealed a very personal reason for her decision to leave RHOBH. It occurred shortly after her 93-year-old mother, Lois, died, and she believes she experienced what she calls spiritual intervention that helped to make her decision.
Rinna went on to describe a very lively dream where her late mother guided her to “be happy and follow your dream”. Rinna said,
She came to me. It’s so wild, because half the world will believe this, half the world will say: ‘That’s so weird.’ I was sleeping and I heard her say to me: ‘It’s time for you to go.’ I told a psychic and she said: ‘Oh yeah, she’s come to me and told me that. She wants you to be happy and follow your dream, but she says it’s time for you to go.’ I’ve never told anybody that, except for the psychic. I’m guided by my mom, for sure.
Another point she made was that reality TV fans were now a changing species. She said that the audience responses to the shows did not match what was portrayed. “I mean, we were getting death threats. Some of the most horrible things I’ve ever seen in print in my life, and it’s a reality show!” she told The Evening Standard.
Her decision was also because of a toxic environment that was affecting her health. She said, “I didn’t want to live like that. I don’t think that’s healthy.” She also noted that the audience’s reaction had significantly changed from the early days, which also contributed to her exit.
Lisa Rinna won’t return to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
However, while those close to her speculated that she would revisit her statement on a temporary break from RHOBH, Rinna firmly put it down, claiming that she would never revisit the series during her appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show.
However, Rinna used the experience she gained from RHOBH for her acting career. “RHOBH is making me a better actor,” she said, noting that her eight years with the “different psychologies of different women” on the show helped her in the movie Mommy Meanest.
Though Andy Cohen originally put forth the idea that Rinna should “go on pause but absolutely come back,” (via Radio Andy), he later acknowledged that she had developed a “toxic relationship with the show.”
Although denying the possibility of returning, Rinna still appreciates what the show did for her. “I am grateful for that show. I am the person I am today because of it, but I’ll never go back,” she told Jennifer Hudson, acknowledging the relationships and experiences that came with it while making it clear that the chapter of her life is certainly closed.
Lisa Rinna leaving The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills seals an end to one chapter for the series, proving that, in the end, even the most prominent members of the cast can outgrow their reality TV characters. The show goes on with new characters and fresh drama, but Rinna is busy reviving her acting career and pursuing different genres outside of reality television.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is available on Bravo TV.
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