The Housewives are headed to the Beehive State! Salt Lake City is the newest city added to the Real Housewives franchise, Andy Cohen announced on Saturday, November 16.
“We’ve always tried to choose cities that have completely unique personalities. And we also tried to throw a little curveball now and then, pick somewhere that you maybe weren’t expecting,” the Bravo host, 51, explained at BravoCon in New York City. “We are very excited to travel to Salt Lake City, Utah, for the Real Housewives of SLC!”
Cohen’s announcement came just a few hours after Bravo teased the exciting news on Twitter. “The #AskAndyCohen panel is underway and we’re approximately 1 HOUR out from @Andy dropping the next #RealHousewives city at #BravoCon!,” the network said.
Cohen went on to share that many people have tweeted him and speculated which city could be next to join the popular franchise. Some fans believed it could be Chicago, while others guessed Houston or “here or there,” according to the Watch What Happens Live host.
Salt Lake City, which has an estimated population of over 200,000, is known for its natural beauty and strong ties to the Mormon religion — all factors that went into the decision. “You didn’t see it coming but I have tell you, you’re in Utah and you’ve got the majesty of the mountains. You’ve got the majesty of the Mormon religion,” Cohen explained.
Bravo echoed his sentiments in a statement released shortly after the announcement.
“The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City takes viewers into an undiscovered world that is about so much more than religion, although the Mormon church is undeniably engrained in the culture,” the network said. “In the majestic mountains of Utah is a hidden social circle made up of successful women who have created their own paradise filled with luxury homes, shopping sprees and multi-million-dollar businesses and brands.”
Bravo went on to highlight how Salt Lake City hosts the Sundance Film Festival “in their backyards” and how its “Type-A power-broker” residents are “accustomed to rubbing elbows with A-listers.”
“They have mastered running wildly successful enterprises by day and enjoy après ski at the finest resorts by night, all the while raising extraordinary and unconventional families. Here perfection is not an aspiration, it’s a mandate,” the statement read.
The Utah city will join the established Housewives cities of Orange County, New York City, Atlanta, New Jersey, Potomac, Beverly Hills and Dallas. The network has yet to announce the cast members of the Salt Lake City spin-off.
