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Bethenny Frankel Is Leaving Real Housewives, So What Even Is the Point Anymore?

This also means we won't get to see her new boyfriend

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Rachel Paige

After spending six years on and off the show, Bethenny Frankel has decided to leave The Real Housewives of New York behind. According to Variety, who first broke the news, she's leaving the series behind to focus on new projects.

"I have decided to leave the Housewives franchise to explore my next chapter," Frankel explained in a statement. "It's time to move on and focus on my daughter, my philanthropy and my production partnership with Mark Burnett, producing and starring in shows which represent a shift in the conversation for women. With the changes in modern culture, I want to highlight the strength, confidence and unstoppable power that women have. My experience at Bravo has been an incredibly magical ride. I am so grateful to them for highlighting my entrepreneurialism and allowing me to pave the way for many women to achieve their goals. I am excited for my future. The best is yet to come."

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This is not the first time Frankel has left the series. While she was part of it from the very beginning, in 2008, she departed in the middle of Season 3, in 2010, before returning once again for Season 7, in 2015. Over the years she's also appeared on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, as well as two spin-off shows, Bethenny Ever After and Bethenny & Fredrik, which ran for three seasons and one season, respectively. Frankel also hosted a short-lived talk show, Bethenny, which ran from September 2013 to February 2014 before being canceled.

This past season of Real Housewives has been an up and down one for Frankel, and she had a major meltdown in the middle of it, which included mourning the loss of her boyfriend, Dennis Shields, who passed away in 2018. With Frankel now out of the series, it also means viewers won't get to see her new boyfriend, Paul, something the TV Guide editorial staff is very upset about. She also has a daughter, Bryn, who's 8.

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Bethenny Frankel, The Real Housewives of New York

Heidi Gutman/Bravo