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The Real Housewives reunion episodes are always special. Not only do they feature the ladies in beautiful fashions, but they’re also full of chaos. The specials are usually three parts long and packed with explosive segments of the women revisiting the season’s biggest moments. Fans look forward to them, and for the most part, the ladies always deliver. But on a few occasions, many of them dropped the ball by skipping the taping after drama-filled seasons. Check them out below.
Karen Huger
The Real Housewives of Potomac would be nothing without Karen Huger. The Season 1 OG has been involved in several conflicts, and during her time on the show, she’s never backed down from an argument. Viewers saw a different side to Karen during Season 9, though. After being charged with driving under the influence in the summer of 2024, the reality star didn’t engage in conversations with her co-stars about her legal journey.
In 2025, after damning body camera footage of Huger was released, Bravo revealed she ditched the Real Housewives reunion. The news shocked watchers everywhere, including other Bravo stars. Many people assumed her move was to avoid answering the tough questions about her guilty verdict. However, in a statement released by her representative, Karen shared that she entered rehab to focus on her health. It’s unclear if she’ll be required to address the noise at a later date. But if she returns for Season 10, her co-stars will surely hold her accountable.
Mary Cosby
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City‘s cast has been stacked since day one, so thankfully, the drama doesn’t fall on one person’s shoulders. However, avid watchers know that much of the past season’s drama involved Mary Cosby. During Season 2, the Pentecostal pastor-turned-reality star feuded with Jen Shah, Lisa Barlow, and Jennie Nguyen. She was expected to show up for the Real Housewives reunion special; however, Bravo announced on the day of filming that she had decided to skip it. “The only thing I have to say about the reunion is I didn’t go because it was one-sided,” she said in 2022. “Everyone heard one side of what they felt. I mean, they told lies, one side of my story.”
Lisa Vanderpump
Lisa Vanderpump was one of the original cast members of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Throughout her time on the show, she fought incessantly with Kyle Richards, Brandi Glanville, Lisa Rinna, Dorit Kemsley, and eventually, Teddi Mellencamp. She seemed to know she was the “Queen Bee,” as she often spoke highly about her status in the group in her taglines. “The crown is heavy, darlings. So just leave it where it belongs,” she said in Season 8. However, the heat became too much for the reality TV star during Season 9. After being accused of leaking stories to the press, LVP ditched the reunion and never looked back.
“We knew that if she didn’t come, that meant for sure, she was off the show,” Andy Cohen said in The Real Housewives exclusive book, Not All Diamonds and Rosé. “That she was deciding to leave the show. I thought — and hoped — that she would come and she’d figure out a way forward with Kyle [Richards].”
Jen Shah
There is no denying that Jen Shah brought a different type of drama to The Real Housewives franchise. The Salt Lake City star hit the ground running during Episode 1 of Season 1. From the moment she was introduced to watchers, the reality star was throwing shade, fists, and glasses. However, the facade didn’t last for long. She was arrested during a Season 2 episode by Homeland Security after she was exposed for running a nationwide telemarketing scheme that targeted the elderly. She lied about the charges and accusations during the remaining half of Season 2. And then lied some more. “What I have been accused of is absolutely the complete opposite of anything I would do in my life. If I have any fault, it’s because I’m too giving and I help too many people,” she said during an episode.
Later, after months of declaring her innocence, Jen pleaded guilty to the charges against her. The move came as a surprise to those around her. However, people were hopeful she would be ready to address her move at the reunion. Then, on Instagram, Shah seemingly exposed Bravo in a post, saying they disinvited her from the reunion taping. “I was clear with Bravo that out of respect for the courts and a standing judicial order, I would not be in a position to discuss anything related to my legal case or sentencing,” she said. She continued, saying the network “found this unsatisfactory and said they expected to discuss this ‘storyline.’ That expectation has no regard for me or my family’s well-being, so under legal advice, I will not be attending the reunion. I need to focus on the most important thing in my life — my family.”
Jacqueline Laurita
Jacqueline Laurita decided to skip the Season 3 Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion after getting into a massive blow-up with Teresa Giudice the night before. “The night before the reunion, there was a huge right revolving around Strippergate, and Jacqueline refused to leave her house,” Andy Cohen said. “I was so pissed at her! Furious. … It was so confusing to the audience that we were in the middle of production on season 4 during the season 3 reunion, and something happened the night before that was so bad that all of their allegiances shifted. Everyone was so mad at Teresa [Giudice], but they couldn’t explain why because it was a spoiler.”
