Bravo Confirms 4 Housewives Leaving NYC Cast

NEW YORK., N.Y. -- The casting drama of The Real Housewives of NY City appears to finally be settled. Amid reports of whos in/whos out, Bravo released an official statement on Saturday, confirming who would be returning and who would be leaving. As had been previously rumored, Alex McCord, Jill Zarin, Kelly Bensimon and Cindy Barshop will not return for the upcoming fifth season, Bravo confirmed. Ramona Singer, Sonja Morgan and LuAnn DeLesseps will be returning for season five of The Real Housewives of NY City, the network said in a statement to Access Hollywood. Weve had a fabulous run with all the ladies and appreciate them sharing their lives with our viewers. However, according to Bravo, they are cutting ties (for now) on good terms with the departing Housewives. It is a friendly departure among the other ladies and we continue to have on-going discussions with them, the networks statement continued. A rep for Barshop also confirmed the news to Access. She wont be returning for the next season, Barshops rep said. McCord posted a message on her Twitter page late Saturday about her departure. Nothing was decided until today, but as of tonight a decision has been reached. SimonvanKempen & I are leaving #RHONY, sadly but amicably, she Tweeted, noting husband Simon would obviously also be leaving the show. Meanwhile, a rep for Zarin issued the following statement to The Hollywood Reporter: Jill is out of town with her husband Bobby and they are visiting her daughter Ally at college for family weekend so she is not speaking with the press. I can tell you that she is very happy and extremely busy with the national launch of her shapewear line Skweez Couture by Jill Zarin which will debut at Lord and Taylor stores across the country this month and then roll out at other national retailers in the coming months. Jill is humbled by the extraordinary amount of media interest in her response and looks forward to personally opening up about all of this very soon and announcing some exciting new projects. On Friday, prior to the announcement, Access spooke with Barshop at her day spa, Completely Bare, in NY City, where she said her decision to return next season could be based on who returns and who doesnt. I would need to see whos coming back. If it was just Sonja, Ramona, myself, no! she said with a laugh at the time. I loved working with Kelly, LuAnn and Jill. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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