After much speculation about the future of Season Two of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” following the suicide of Russell Armstrong, Taylor Armstrong’s estranged husband, Bravo has decided to move forward with “re-edited” episodes of the popular reality show. In addition, the premiere will air as planned on September 5.
“Re-editing of the episodes is still underway,” Frances Berwick, president of Bravo Media, said in a statement. “Bravo has partnered with the Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. to raise awareness about suicide prevention. The network will air various PSAs during the ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.’ We will also provide additional information and resources on Bravotv.com, including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.”
With the episodes being re-edited, time will tell how much of the season will stay true to the press release Bravo issued in July to promote Season Two of the “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”
Bravo’s press release touted the ongoing tension between sisters Kyle and Kim Richards and how Taylor’s “loveless marriage” causes her to “act out against the other women.” Press screenings and promotional trailers for “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” released before Russell was found hanged on August 15, focused on the Armstrong’s decaying marriage.
John Ann Hotchkiss, Russell’s mother, was outraged by Bravo’s decision not to delay the Season Two premiere. In a statement to HLN’s Issues With Jane Velez-Mitchell, Hotchkiss vilified Bravo.
“When I was informed of this, I thought, ‘I hope Bravo will take the high road and keep it tasteful,’” she said in a statement. “Let’s not murder my son twice.”
Hotchkiss was particularly distressed by comments made by her daughter-in-law’s castmate, Lisa Vanderpump, who made several disparaging remarks about Russell during Season One.
“What bothered me the most, I think, is on the program itself — and this is on video — he would be bashed by some of the other cast members,” Hotchkiss told CNN shortly after her son’s suicide. “Especially Lisa [Vanderpump], who is a beautiful lady. I just couldn’t understand why she would be so unkind to him.”
“I know it hurt him deeply, because he would talk to me about it — never criticizing Taylor, of course,” she said. “I would not want him to. The program itself just really brought him down.”
Russell shared his fears with his mother about the new season.
“‘Mom, they’re just going to crucify me this season,’” Hotchkiss said her son told her. “And he said, ‘I don’t know what to do. I’ll never survive it.’”
“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” brought in boffo ratings for Bravo, becoming one of the highest- rated entries in the popular ‘Housewives’ franchise. The freshman season ranked as the second highest rated first season series of the franchise across all demographics, averaging 2.42 million total viewers and 1.71 million adults 18-49. The series also received a 2011 Critics Choice Award for Best Reality Series.
All six original Housewives – Taylor, Camille Grammer, Adrienne Maloof, Kim Richards, Kyle Richards and Lisa Vanderpump – will all be back along with two new “unofficial” Housewives, Brandi Glanville and Dana Wilkey (Glanville’s ex-husband is Eddie Cibrian, who famously left her for singer Leann Rimes.)