Rebecca Minkoff Reacts to Brynn Whitfield’s Exit from RHONY: “I Wasn’t Shocked”

 

The drama isn’t just on-screen for The Real Housewives of New York City — it’s continuing off-camera too.

Fashion designer and RHONY cast member Rebecca Minkoff recently shared her thoughts on Brynn Whitfield’s decision to leave the Bravo reality series. Speaking to People on June 10, Rebecca said she saw it coming.

“I wasn’t shocked at all,” Rebecca, 44, admitted. “I think that was in the cards before she even said she was leaving.”

Brynn, 39, announced her departure just a day earlier on Instagram, saying, “After a lot of thought, I’ve made the decision to walk away from reality TV. For now.”

Instead of focusing on reality TV, Brynn says she’s turning her attention to her business. She’s the co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Hoppy, a dating app that recently hit a major download milestone.

“I can’t even put into words how surreal it feels,” she wrote. “All I want to do now is pour every ounce of energy into building Hoppy into the #1 dating app in the world.”

Brynn also reflected on her time on RHONY, calling it “one of the most fun, chaotic, and magical chapters” of her life.

“It was the honor of a lifetime to help reboot such an iconic franchise,” she added. “From day one, I’ve believed RHONY is a fan’s show — we’re just temporary custodians of something that truly belongs to the viewers.”

She closed her message with a sweet tribute to her late grandmother: “I hope there’s a TV in heaven so that Mimi (who LIVED for her shows) could watch me and be proud.”

Brynn’s exit comes after a tough Season 15, where she appeared to grow apart from the rest of the cast. Tensions boiled over during the season finale when she and castmate Ubah Hassan had a major argument. Brynn claimed she had confided in Ubah about a past sexual assault — a claim Ubah denied. Most of the other Housewives sided with Ubah and questioned Brynn’s story.

In a January interview with Rolling Stone, Brynn stood by her account. “I know for a fact that I said it,” she said. “When someone’s yelling on the phone, the other person might not hear everything. … I know what I said.”

Rebecca Minkoff also announced her own departure from the show earlier this year. She joined the cast as a "friend" for just one season.

“I’m truly grateful for the experience, the friendships, and the fans,” Rebecca shared on her Instagram Story in February. “Time to turn the page.”

Alongside Brynn and Rebecca, Season 15 of RHONY featured Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank, Sai De Silva, Erin Lichy, and Racquel Chevremont. As of now, Bravo hasn’t confirmed who will return for Season 16.