Entertainment TV Bethenny Frankel Says She Was Asked to Be on Bravo's New 'RHONY' : 'Legacy' Spinoff Starring OGs Bethenny Frankel said she "got a text" from "the powers that be in the Bravosphere" about returning for a new Real Housewives of New York City series By Dory Jackson Dory Jackson Instagram Twitter Website Dory Jackson is an Associate Editor for PEOPLE's digital TV team. While at the brand, she's had the opportunity to interview a long list of celebrities, from Kate Hudson to Pierce Brosnan to Billy Porter. She also recaps popular TV shows like The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Vanderpump Rules.The New York-based Maryland native graduated from Randolph-Macon College in May 2016 with a focus in Communication Studies and Journalism. She came to PEOPLE in March 2021 after working at a number of major news companies, including Newsweek and Us Weekly. She also previously co-hosted a podcast called "Idol Nation." People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 1, 2022 07:29 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Bethenny Frankel. Photo: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic Bethenny Frankel is weighing in on the future of The Real Housewives of New York City franchise. While hosting her Just B podcast, the businesswoman, 51, opened up about Andy Cohen's recent revelation that Bravo is rebooting the New York series and also creating an all-new show starring OG cast members only. "Many of you have been asking me for a response to [the] Housewives announcement," she began. "So a couple weeks ago, I got a text from, you know, the powers that be in the Bravosphere saying, 'Is there a chance? Is there a chance? Just asking, is there a chance?' Meaning, would I come back." Frankel admitted that she "didn't understand" what the new series featuring only OG cast members would be, saying it "wasn't really an announcement." "I know from a bunch of producers and people in the industry that they're casting the show of new people and that they clearly don't know who the show of old people will be because I was asked to be on it," she continued. "So it's not been crafted. So it felt like, sort of, a half-baked announcement. I didn't really understand it." She continued, "Years ago I said to [franchise producer] Andy [Cohen], 'There should be an all-stars show.' And he said, 'One day we'll get to the point where we have to do that. We're not there now.' " Luann de Lesseps on a Potential RHONY Cast Shakeup: 'I Can't See Any Reason' Why I Wouldn't Return Frankel also said the network is "smart" to keep "finding new ways to make things." "They can't give that up, because you got to tap that vein and get the last juice out of that franchise," she continued. "You got to keep going." Addressing whether she would want to return, Frankel said: "When asked, I say, 'There's a number, but I don't think you can afford it.' " "From a business standpoint, [it's] probably smarter for them to just keep mixing together the ingredients that they already have on the shelf: the people that'll do it for so cheap because they'll do it for next to nothing for the relevance and the jolt," she continued. "From a business standpoint, you have something that's not at the peak in ratings, put them all together in the soup. You have an audience, they're going to watch it." Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Added Frankel, "They don't necessarily need my advice but unless you're creating some new thing that you're reviving an entire brand and doing something entirely new, I don't even see how that applies to me because I didn't necessarily even understand what it is." PEOPLE has reached out to Bravo for comment. Frankel was a main cast member in RHONY's first three seasons. After initially leaving, she returned for season 7 but left for good after season 11. "I left because it became not who I really was anymore, and you can't do something out of fear," she said on Paris Hilton's This Is Paris podcast in April 2021, adding that she "was literally there because of the money." The Real Housewives of New York City Season 13 cast. Sophy Holland/Bravo This past season of RHONY saw OG cast member Ramona Singer clashing with newcomer Eboni K. Williams. The season 13 post-finale reunion special was canceled thereafter, with Bravo citing "scheduling challenges" as the reason. But a source told PEOPLE it was partially scrapped amid an internal investigation regarding complaints of racism filed among the cast. Cohen, 53, previously told Entertainment Tonight that RHONY is taking a "pause" as they enter "repair mode." "We're looking forward to next season and just building on it," he said at the time. "It's a fun problem to have — how do we make a great show better? And that's what we're working on." Last week, Cohen revealed Bravo is "rebooting and recasting" the series. Additionally, he shared that the second all-stars show is being referred to as "RHONY: Throwback" and "RHONY: Legacy" internally. "You know that we're at a crossroads for RHONY," he told Variety. "We've spent a lot of time figuring out where to go. And the plan that we've come up with, I think, is a real gift to the fans."