**Oct. 17, 2025, 6:15 a.m. ET**
The Real Housewives empire may once have been Bravo’s crown jewel – but RadarOnline.com can reveal that the network has now given up on ever signing true A-listers.
“Even when the show was at its hottest, no real celebrity was touching it,” said one industry insider. “Martha Stewart? Forget it. Gayle King? Never. The closest they got was C-list socialites and the occasional washed-up actress.”
With ratings slipping and buzz fading, casting producers are now trawling through New York’s “almost famous” circles, pitching offers to makeup artists, yoga instructors – and even celebrity dog walkers.
**’That Desperate’**
“It’s that desperate,” said a source. “We’re talking about the people who pick up after the stars’ poodles, not the stars themselves.”
Recently, RadarOnline.com exclusively reported that *Real Housewives of New York* (RHONY) might be facing a massive cast shakeup, fueled by photos of old cast members hanging out that have been frequently appearing on social media.
According to a source, fans shouldn’t get their hopes up. “There’s a lot of hope and speculation from fans, but from what the OG cast members are hearing, Bravo is filming with some of the new women and adding even more new women to the mix,” an insider claimed.
They noted this may not be the best move, as the audience “doesn’t like to keep meeting new people.”
“It gives them fatigue,” the source added, alluding to the audience’s preference to continue following the stories of women they’ve known for years, rather than unfamiliar faces.
https://radaronline.com/p/real-housewives-execs-beg-stars-inner-circles-save-reality-show/