‘Real Housewives of New York’ Erin Lichy Wants 3 Women Back on Show
The Context
Lichy joined the Real Housewives of New York (RHONY) when it was rebooted with an entirely new cast for the 14th season and has appeared on the last two seasons of the show. NBC made the decision to completely re-cast the show after a negative reaction to the 13th season, marking the first time they decided to start the show’s cast from scratch.
After two seasons, rumors started to spread in May that the show had been canceled, something Bravo denied. Executive producer Andy Cohen later confirmed that the show was just between seasons and the network was meeting with potential new housewives for an upcoming season.
What To Know
Lichy, who published her book, She’s a Host, between Housewives seasons, told Newsweek that she sees a future for RHONY. If she were to pick the cast, she said she’d like to see three of her castmates—Jessel Taank, Sai da Silva and Jenna Lyons—on the show with her.
While she’d also like to have Ubah Hassan on the show, Lichy said she thinks Uba has “moved on with her life” and wouldn’t be interested.
RHONY received some criticism for not having the same synergy as other franchises, with former Housewife Bethenny Frankel joking that “30 people in the country” watched the reboot. She called for Bravo to bring back the original cast. Cohen defended the reboot, telling Deadline that he believed in the new cast, calling them “aspirational” and saying that Bravo was “kind of looking to the future” with the reboot.
Lichy told Newsweek that it “takes awhile” for a new cast to gel and people should think of RHONY as essentially a new show. She called the comparisons to the original a “problem” and noted that the reboot is different from other franchises. Going into the show, the cast each had businesses and “real careers,” whereas a lot of women on the show started out as housewives.
Housewives from several franchises have said that joining the show is an experience no one can entirely prepare a person for and that someone who hasn’t been on a show can’t understand. Lichy described it as something unlike any other business venture she’s done and said she thinks her devotion to her friends has gotten misconstrued on the show.
“I have had friends since I was 2 years old, so I am a girl’s girl and I’m a really good friend,” Lichy said. “It’s really important to me.”
Lichy conceded that there are always going to be people who watch the show and think a situation should have been handled differently. But, she said, she doesn’t want to be portrayed as a bad friend when that's a part of her that she truly values.
‘Scrubs’ Reboot Sets ABC Release Date, ‘Will Trent’ Season 4 and ‘The Rookie’ Season 8 to Premiere in January
ABC has revealed its 2026 midseason schedule, which includes the highly-anticipated return of “Scrubs.” All original programming will stream the next day on Hulu following their linear premieres.
The reboot of the beloved sitcom will debut on Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. ET/PT with back-to-back episodes. As previously reported, original stars Zach Braff, Donald Faison, Sarah Chalke, Judy Reyes, and John C. McGinley will all return to the show, with a new cast that includes Vanessa Bayer and Joel Kim Booster. Fans can also see a (small) first-look at the new show above.
Elsewhere on the midseason schedule, Season 4 of “Will Trent” is set to premiere on Jan. 6, followed by the midseason premiere of “High Potential” and the Season 8 premiere of “The Rookie.” The fourth season premiere of “Will Trent” is directed by series star Ramón Rodríguez.
“America’s Funniest Home Videos” returns on Jan. 4, while comedies “Shifting Gears” and “Abbott Elementary” return with their midseason premieres on Jan. 7. “9-1-1,” “9-1-1: Nashville,” and “Grey’s Anatomy” all return on Jan. 8.
On the unscripted side, “Shark Tank” will be back on Jan. 7 after “Abbott Elementary.” “American Idol” will debut its 24th season overall on Jan. 26. This season of “American Idol” will mark the first time the series has taken the “Hollywood Week” to Nashville. Finally, “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” and “20/20″ return to the schedule on Jan. 9, while the Ken Jennings-hosted “Celebrity Jeopardy!” returns for Season 4 on Feb. 27. The new season of “The Bachelorette” starring “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives'” Taylor Frankie Paul and hosted by Jesse Palmer kicks off on its new night, Sunday, March 22.
Not featured on the schedule is “RJ Decker” starring Scott Speedman, which was picked up to series at ABC in September. The show is still expected to debut in 2026, though an exact premiere date will be announced later.
Check out the full schedule below.
“Across ABC and its streaming home on Hulu, we have the best shows on television, from acclaimed dramas to standout comedies and unscripted hits,” said Craig Erwich, president of Disney Television Group. “Our midseason schedule underscores our ongoing commitment to delivering exceptional storytelling and engaging content to audiences wherever they choose to watch.”
