As you undoubtedly have heard about by now, Denise Richards is departing The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
The actress is leaving the franchise after two contentious seasons as a main cast member, as confirmed by a representative of hers on Wednesday, September 9.
“She [is] looking to replace RHOBH with time loving her amazing husband, children and who knows, maybe even friends now,” a People Magazine source says of why Richards left the show.
“She took her 3 productions down to 2 so now she can enjoy her family more as well.”
This may very well be true. Richards will, to be sure, having more time now to hang out with her man and her kids.
But most viewers assume Richards has peaced out of the program due to her rivalry with Brandi Glanville and all the crap she’s received for having allegedly slept with Glanville in April 2019.
Glanville, who insists this extramarital boning really did take place, responded yesterday evening to the news of Denise exiting the series… just hours before the Season 10 reunion special aired on Bravo.
“The word of the night is calculated #timing,” the 47-year-old reality TV star Tweeed. “#Are you f–king kidding me.”
No, of course, Richards is dead serious.
The same way, she’d claim, that she seriously never scissored with Glanville or did anything of that sexual nature.
Throughout season 10, Richards found her herself in the scalding hot seat.
However, she’s maintained that she never had an affair with her costar, nor did she cheat on husband Aaron Phypers.
On the aforementioned Zoom reunion, Richards defended herself from a barrage of attacks from Lisa Rinna and company, trashing the women as “vicious” toward the end of an emotional hour.
“I had been out with her and [her husband] Aaron and I knew that they have, like, an understanding, like she could be with girls if she wanted to,” Glanville revealed during a July episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, when talking to Kyle Richards about the alleged sexual encounter.
“The first night we met, something happened.”
In a follow-up interview with Us Weekly, Glanville stuck by her story.
“People can say whatever they want to say,” she said this summer to the tabloid, adding:
“Listen, it doesn’t matter because I know my truth and the truth is setting me free right now because I don’t have to keep this f—king secret anymore.”
As for how other Housewives — past and current — feel about Richards leaving?
“I haven’t seen but I’ve heard [about the Denise drama]. I know & like @DENISE_RICHARDS,” Bethenny Frankel Tweeted on Wednesday.
“She should live her life BUT she is on a reality show where someone’s always winning & someone’s losing.
“In the words of the wise prophet @CarolineManzo ‘if you hang out with trash you start to smell like garbage.’”
Erika Jayne simply wrote “Bye,” alongside a GIF of a door slam via Twitter.
Garcelle Beauvais went with “#plottwist Things just got interesting…” on Instagram.
Camille Grammer, for her parrt, thanked fans who Tweeted that they would miss her and Denise on the show.
She also accused Andy Cohen of having a “bias” and favoriting Kyle Richards over Denise during the reunion.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs on Bravo Wednesdays at 9/8c.
Richards will appear next Wednesday night on the third and final part of the reunion — and then, allegedly, never again.
Will you miss her?