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Credit: Clifton Prescod/BRAVO

The news broke recently that Real Housewives of New York City star Brynn Whitfield would not be returning to the series. Now, her co-star, Jessel Taank, is opening up about her reaction to the news and where they stand, and she’s also shedding some light on the rumors that Summer House‘s Paige DeSorbo and Lindsay Hubbard may be joining the show.

As fans are aware, the RHONY reboot hasn’t been nearly as popular as Bravo had hoped it would be. There was even a report that the network had canceled the show, but Andy Cohen has since stated that they’re currently casting for a new season. 

Jessel was recently on SiriusXM’s Page Six Radio, and the hosts of the show asked for her thoughts about Brynn leaving the show. Notably, this came after Brynn was at odds with much of the cast. Jessel said, “I’m happy for her.”

@pagesix

Jessel Taank says she “didn’t think Brynn Whitfield would come back” while addressing her RHONY exit. 👀 Tune in from 8–10 A.M. ET on SiriusXM Stars Ch. 109, Link in bio! 🎙️

♬ original sound – Page Six – Page Six

She continued, “It seems like she has another plan up her sleeve, and I think she’s very dedicated to her business, the new app that she’s working on.”

Jessel added, “To be honest, I think we sort of didn’t think that she would come back in a way. I didn’t know what her plan was, or what was expected of her, or whose decision it was. I’m just not sure.”

Reflecting on the show, Jessel stated, “We ended in such a diabolical way. We needed a breather. We needed to take some time, and I knew that things were going to start, like, happening.”

Jessel then went on to say that they have been in touch, and Brynn recently wished her a happy birthday. She also said, “Brynn is, for what it’s worth, I adore her and I really respect her and I’m always going to be cordial.” Still, they’re not “besties.” 

As mentioned, Jessel also gave a reaction to Page Six Radio regarding the rumors that Paige and Lindsay could be joining the show. She said, “I’ve hung out with Paige, I’ve hung out with Lindsay separately. I think, to me, it would be so cool because they’re already very well known in the Bravoverse.”

She went on, “I would be so curious to see how that dynamic, cause everyone’s got a strong personality and they’re familiar with the process and how this reality TV thing works, so yeah. I would love it. I mean, Lindsay’s a new mom. She’s great. I hung out with her. We went to the Kentucky Derby together, actually. It was super fun. She’s great.”

Fans can stream episodes of RHONY on Peacock.