After a long, long break, Bravo fan favorite series Vanderpump Rules is gearing up for its ninth season despite concerns that it wouldn’t return after a controversial season 8. However, Lisa Vanderpump and her circle of dramatic Los Angeles-based upstarts are in fact
making a comeback, and cast member Lala Kent promises that the next chapter will be a "shit show" in all the best ways.
making a comeback, and cast member Lala Kent promises that the next chapter will be a "shit show" in all the best ways.
Vanderpump Rules is a spinoff of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills starring the show's resident diva and restauranteur that focuses on the professional and personal lives of the staff working at her bevy of L.A. restaurants. Over the course of the past eight seasons, we've watched Vanderpump and her motley crew of young staff go through highs and lows, almost always delivering on the drama that Bravo shows are known for. Unfortunately, the last season of Pump Rules took things a step too far; at the peak of widespread racial tension and uprisings against bigotry, a number of cast members on the show were booted for problematic and racist behavior, resulting in a major cast shakeup.
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A year later, Pump Rules is working to return to its former glory of standard cattiness and drunken shenanigans. Season nine of the series has already begun filming, and it's shaping up to have a different vibe from the past season — drama notwithstanding. In conversation with David Yontef on the Behind the Velvet Rope podcast, Bravolebrity Kent shared teasers from production, assuring fans that the forthcoming season of the show will definitely one worth tuning into.
"We're fresh into it and I didn't know what to expect, but it's going to be a great season just based off of what we filmed so far," Kent told the podcast host. "Like, shit has already hit the fan, and it's awesome — awesome for viewers, not so awesome for us who have to face each other daily."
She also hinted that there will be several new SURvers joining the squad, which is expected given the number of stars who exited the show after the events of season nine. Central personality Stassi Schroeder was given the pink slip after being exposed for racially insensitive remarks and actions during the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020. She was also called out by former co-star Faith Stowers when she revealed that Schroeder had a personal vendetta against her involving the police and the military. Jax Taylor was also fired for similar problematic behavior that has literally spanned years. Also not coming back? Brittany Cartwright, Kristen Doute, and newcomers Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni.
While Bravo has thinned out the Pump Rules herd quite a bit since last year, the SURvers who are left come with their fair share of drama. Kent is engaged and just had a baby, as did her co-star and friend Scheana Shay. Long-term couple Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix are building their cocktail empire, and previously turbulent spouses Tom Schwartz and Katie Maloney are figuring out married life on their own terms. Rounding out the crew of familiar faces is James Kennedy, navigating life as a newly sober person. All of that plus the inevitable chaos that comes with new faces? A recipe for success...hopefully.
Season nine of Vanderpump Rules is slated to air this fall, only on Bravo.