An inside view. Vanderpump Rules executive producer Alex Baskin opened up about what the next season may entail following the aftermath of the Bravo series’ turbulent 10th season.
“I think how fortunate we are, that 10 years into this, we’re still this relevant,” the TV producer explained to Variety in an interview published on Wednesday, May 17, ahead of the reality show’s highly-anticipated season finale — which airs that night.
The Pump Rules cast made headlines earlier this year when Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval called it quits after nearly a decade. Us Weekly confirmed in March that Ariana, 37, broke up with the Tom Sandoval and the Most Extras frontman, 40, after learning he was having an affair with their costar Raquel Leviss. The love triangle boiled over amongst the other cast members as they began to choose sides.
At the time, the show had already wrapped up filming but the cameras picked back up to capture the drama. Bravo even brought in Kristen Doute — who had been fired in 2020 for past racist behavior — to film some additional scenes with Ariana. (Kristen, 40, and Sandoval previously dated before he got together with Ariana.)
Kristen’s unexpected return sparked speculation that she would be back for the upcoming season. Rumors also swirled that Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright would come back to the show after an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. While Baskin didn’t confirm the former stars would be back, he didn’t rule out the possibility.
“This is not a show that you can plug an outsider into,” he teased to the outlet. “So we definitely have those conversations. And in real life, they are still all friends.”
Viewers continued to tune in every night to watch the events of Scandoval unfold — with the show earning double the amount of their usual ratings. The reality stars also found themselves even more popular than ever as everyone continued to talk about the scandal. While the show has become a household name, Baskin says the bump in viewership will not affect the cast’s salaries.
“There’s a pay scale that we’ve tended to use for tenure,” the executive explained. “I think that the group knows that it isn’t like the ratings necessarily translate into — there aren’t riches on the other side, and there’s a sort of reality of the business.”
While Bravo confirmed season 11 earlier this month, the reunion special still has to air. The three part event kicks off on Wednesday, May 23, and was filmed in late March. A source exclusively told Us that Lala Kent and James Kennedy “went crazy” on Raquel, 28, and Sandoval at the taping.
Following the drama, the former beauty queen checked into a mental health facility in April. As she works on herself, many have wondered if she was in talks to return to the reality series.
“We have had those conversations with her reps,” Baskin said of Raquel while the show is currently on break. “She and people around her have to feel OK about [returning]. And so that’s why I also think that waiting a little bit helps.”
The season 10 finale of Vanderpump Rules airs on Bravo Wednesday, May 17, at 9 p.m. ET.
