While it’s officially confirmed that the “Real Housewives” franchise is expanding to Rhode Island, the identity of the women joining the new installment remains uncertain. Rumors have circulated about several potential cast members, including RHONJ’s former star Dolores Catania, who has confirmed she filmed for the series, though it’s still unclear if she will appear as a main cast member.
One other well-known reality star and her husband are also rumored to be joining the cast. “The Bachelor” stars Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon have been spotted being filmed, leading fans to speculate that they will be one of the new couples on the series. In a recent interview, Iaconetti seemed to fuel those rumors with her very playful response.
Ashley Iaconetti & Jared Haibon Teasingly Respond to RHORI Speculation
GettyMarried Bachelor couple Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon attended the holiday screening of “A Very Jonas Christmas Movie” in New York City on Nov. 10, and as they posed together for photos on the red carpet, they were hit with questions surrounding the rumor that Iaconetti will officially be joining “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island.”
In a conversation with Access Hollywood, the reporter asked, “There are some rumors that you are on ‘Real Housewives of Rhode Island.’ Is there anything that you can tease for us about that?”
Glancing briefly at her husband, Iaconetti said, “There’s nothing I can tease about that.” She tried to keep a straight face while answering the reporter’s question, but then burst into laughter and fumbled over her words. “I don’t know. I don’t know what happens in the Housewives of Rhode Island, or if there even was one.”
The reporter went on to ask if the “Bachelor in Paradise” star could see herself as a Housewife. When Haibon repeats the question to her, Iaconetti shares with a laugh, “Would I want to join the cast? It would be something we’d have to think about.”
Iaconetti Was Spotted Filming With a Rumored RHORI Cast Member
GettyAccording to Parade, a TikTok user shared several photos that suggested Iaconetti was filming for RHORI. The snapshots, captured in July, showed Iaconetti hanging out with rumored RHORI cast member Jo-Ellen Tiberi and their kids while a camera crew followed them.
A user on X even named the potential cast of RHORI, although Iaconetti was not named in the post.
Iaconetti’s close friend and former “The Bachelor” lead, Nick Viall, also heavily hinted that she and Haibon are joining the show. During a July episode of his “The Nick Viall Files,” the host spoke about “a clip” of Iaconetti and Haibon circulating on the internet that fueled rumors of their involvement in the upcoming installment.
Viall shared that after seeing the images, he phoned the couple to ask if they were indeed going to star on the show. “I immediately reached out to them, and I cannot confirm or deny anything they said, but we will be watching Rhode Island housewives 100% for sure,” he shared.
He then added, “Let’s just say, not a friend of.”
According to Bravo, a description of the Rhode Island series reads: “Set against the shores of the Ocean State, The Real Housewives franchise expands into the world of a tight-knit circle of Rhode Islanders who have deep community roots and families that go back generations. With aspirational lives, thriving businesses, and tangled family dynamics, these decade-long friendships prove that in a state this small, there’s no escaping your past… or each other.”
