Andy Cohen recently went viral for hinting that Candiace Dillard Bassett was fired from “The Real Housewives of Potomac.”
On a recent panel at Bravo’s FanFest in Charleston, South Carolina, a fan asked Cohen how many housewives actually leave the franchise on their own accord. Porsha Williams namedropped Bassett, before Cohen stated “There have been a few.”
It followed Gizelle Bryant dropping shade on her former co-star on “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th.” In a confessional, Gizelle claimed she hadn’t seen her fellow housewife since she was “fired” from the show.
Now producers are coming to Basset’s defense.
Producer Claims Candiace Dillard Bassett Left RHOP Mutually
Former Bravo producer Patrick McDonald weighed in on Threads about Candiace Dillard Bassett’s exit from the “The Real Housewives of Potomac.”
“It’s so interesting that Andy Cohen would imply that Candiace’s exit was entirely Bravo’s idea when that could not be further from the truth,” he revealed.
He explained how her season eight exit was a mutual decision between the reality star and the production team.
“During Candiace’s final season, when we were on a cast trip in the Dominican Republic, I vividly remember staying up and talking to Candiace until 5 o’clock in the morning as she was weighing the pros & cons about whether or not she wanted to return to the show,” he explained.
Why Candiace Dillard Bassett Left ‘RHOP’
Candiace Dillard Bassett joined “The Real Housewives of Potomac” in season 3 and left after season 8 in 2024.
“As I embark on a new chapter after six remarkable years with The Real Housewives of Potomac, I am filled with gratitude for the enriching friendships, personal growth, and moments of introspection that have defined this journey,” Dillard told People at the time of her departure.
Just a month after announcing her exit, she revealed she was expecting her first child, which factored into her decision.
“I was really adamant about creating a space not just for the baby, but for me — for us — for this time in our lives,” she explained to Entertainment Tonight. “I wanted the space around us and around our child to feel peaceful and to feel free and to feel positive, without any added pressure, good, bad or indifferent from the show.”
The recent Threads conversation saw Bravo producer Patrick McDonald confirm that Bassett left the series to stand by her family.
“She was very much considering leaving the show during that final season. And I also remember chatting with her when she ultimately decided that returning wasn’t worth it to her and her family. So if Bravo didn’t want her to return, the parting of ways was mutual at its most scandalous,” he wrote.
Dillard told People in November 2024 that she didn’t know if she “could have made it” if she filmed Season 9 of “RHOP” while pregnant. “I would’ve not enjoyed it,” she admitted. “I would’ve been robbed of what was the most beautiful experience of my life outside of [Jett] being born.”
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Producers Defend Candiace Dillard Bassett And Confirm Her ‘RHOP’ Departure Was Mutual