Carole Radziwill is set to appear on season 16 of 'RHONY' after exiting the Bravo series in 2018
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NEED TO KNOW
- Carole Radziwill addressed her upcoming return to The Real Housewives of New York City eight years after leaving the show
- Radziwill was on the Bravo franchise for seasons 5 through 10 and is set to join season 16 as a “friend-of”
- She further revealed the conditions she gave executive producer Andy Cohen, with whom she previously had a falling out, before agreeing to return
Carole Radziwill is teasing what her return to The Real Housewives of New York is going to look like.
In a new interview with The New York Times, published on Thursday, March 26, the author, 62, opened up about her decision to join the Bravo series for its 16th season after making her exit eight years ago.
“To go back to something that I was such a big part of, you know, is a bit of a risk for me,” Radziwill admitted before revealing the agreement she made with executive producer Andy Cohen: “Andy said that I could film as much or as little as I want.”
Credit: Robin Marchant/Getty
In an email to the outlet, the Watch What Happens Live host, 57, said Radziwill’s return “made a lot of people really happy, including me.”
“My pitch was essentially to join us in a way that should be light, fun, additive to the show,” he added. “And, hopefully, somehow, to her life.”
The former ABC News journalist was on RHONY for six seasons before departing in 2018 amid a falling out with Cohen. The two later reconciled, with Radziwill making a surprise stop on his talk show in August 2025.
As she also faces chatter about her past — including her past friendship with Ghislaine Maxwell and the new FX series Love Story: JFK Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, which is inspired by the lives of her late husband Anthony Radziwill’s family — Radziwill said she has learned how to navigate being a public figure with the help of advice from her mother-in-law.
“She knew that part of being very, very public and very famous, like she was, was that people are going to misunderstand, and you had to be okay with that,” Radziwill explained. “And for a very, very long time, I was not okay with it, but now I am. It’s a really hard place to get to, but once you’re there, it’s, like, a peaceful feeling. You’re going to be misunderstood, and it’s okay.”
Credit: Rich Polk/Bravo via Getty
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Earlier this month, Bravo announced that Radziwill would be returning to RHONY as a friend, alongside season 15 cast members Erin Lichy, Jessel Taank and Sai De Silva and three newbies: celebrity fitness trainer Erika Hammond, celebrity makeup artist Daisy Toye and PR professional Hailey Glassman.
"In the marathon of life, loyalty is everything. And because of Bravo fans’ loyalty, Carole Radziwill is returning to #RHONY as a friend-of for Season 16!!!" the network wrote in an Instagram post March 2.
Friends on the Housewives appear in various episodes throughout the season, but aren't considered a core cast member.
The news came as Radziwill slowly made her way back into the Bravo universe. In November, she attended BravoCon 2025, where she detailed why it felt like the right time to go back to RHONY.
"I thought when I left eight years ago, I could go quietly into the night," she said, noting, "There is a sisterhood here."
"I might not have a lot in common with all the women,” she continued. “Some, I've met for the first time tonight. But there's a sisterhood on the stage. It's really powerful."
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