The RHOBH Cast Members Who Just Tested Positive For COVID
Shortly before Thanksgiving, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills announced it was halting production on the 11th season of the Bravo show after a crew member tested positive for COVID-19 (via Entertainment Tonight).
The show was expected to resume filming after the Thanksgiving holiday, however, it looks like RHOBH filming might have to take an even longer hiatus, as three of its stars were recently diagnosed with COVID-19 as well. Kyle Richards, Kathy Hilton, and Dorit Kemsley all tested positive for COVID. Thankfully, their symptoms are not serious and all three are currently recovering at home (via TMZ). Although the show, like many others, has adopted new safety protocols like testing and temperature checks, unfortunately, it still couldn't prevent COVID from impacting production. Sources say that while the cast members didn't contract COVID on set, the three women were spending time together and the highly infectious disease spread between them.
RHOBH departures and entrances
RHOBH is expected to begin airing new episodes in early 2021 and it will continue to follow the lives of Dorit Kemsley, Erika Jayne, Lisa Rinna, Garcelle Beauvais, Sutton Stracke and Kyle Richards, plus newcomers Kathy Hilton and Crystal Kung Minkoff (via Entertainment Tonight).
This new season comes after an explosive season 10, that found housewife Denise Richards denying Brandi Glanville's claims that the two had an affair and even working to get the producers to refrain from airing the story at all (via Us Weekly). So it perhaps comes as no surprise that Richards has decided to move on from the franchise, while housewife Teddi Mellencamp's contract with the show was not renewed.
However, these exits pave the way for new housewives to come aboard, with Crystal Kung Minkoff becoming the show's first Asian-American cast member. Meanwhile, fans are already familiar with new cast member Kathy Hilton — Kyle Richards's older sister, not to mention mom to Paris and Nicky Hilton — who came on board with her sister's OK.
Whether or not the show sheds light on how COVID-19 has affected production in real time, like any other season of RHOBH, it's certain to bring the entertainment, and of course, drama.