The complicated dynamics in Charleston continue. While Craig Conover seemingly made amends with Madison LeCroy ahead of the season 8 premiere of Southern Charm, Shep Rose and Austen Kroll can’t exactly say the same.
“The thing about our show and people who have been on the show and — now Austen [is] in a little different boat with Madison because they dated and it was complicated — but if I see somebody — and I think Craig’s the same way — we see anybody that’s been on this show with us in the past, or currently, you just give them a hug,” Shep, 42, exclusively told Us Weekly at the NBCUniversal upfront presentation on Monday, May 16. ”[You say], ‘How are you doing?’ Because you feel like you’ve been through a lot of the same things together. … So I have a camaraderie with almost everybody who’s been on the show. And even if it’s not like, ‘Hey, let’s go on a weekend together.’ If I see ’em, if I see anybody, I’d give ’em a big hug.”
Still, the RelationShep alum couldn’t help but throw a little bit of shade when asked about Madison’s fiancé, Brett Randle — and her recent remarks that the Southern Charm cast wouldn’t be invited to her upcoming nuptials.
“Oh no!” he quipped to Us. “I had so many high hopes. No. I’m tired of going to weddings, so thank you, Madison, for not inviting me.”
The hairdresser also made it clear that her man, who she got engaged to in October 2021, wouldn’t be part of the Bravo show.
“Does he exist is the question,” Shep told Us. “He’s a hologram.”
Austen, who dated Madison on and off for years, subsequently admitted, “I actually didn’t even know his name.”
When Shep noted that Austen, 34, and Madison’s relationship was still “pretty frosty” post-split, the “Pillows and Beer” podcast cohost added, “We don’t really orbit each other much.”
Austen, has, however, moved on with Southern Charm newbie Olivia Flowers, who made her debut in the season 8 trailer that dropped on Monday.
“Olivia is this lovely, lovely woman who is now a cast member, which we can say. I’m just so excited for people to meet her. … She truly, in my opinion, brings the charming back to our show. She is the exact type of person that we should have around, like, we want to be around her. So it was so exciting [to have her on board],” the Kings Calling Brewing founder told Us. “I’ve known her now for a year and a half. You will certainly see where it begins, then how it ends. And it certainly is some ebb and flows as I’m trying to figure it out.”
Southern Charm returns to Bravo Thursday, June 23, at 9 p.m. ET.
With reporting by Diana Cooper
