Bershan Shaw to Film Season 13 of ‘Real Housewives of New York City’: 5 Things to Know

Credit: Rob Latour/Shutterstock

Bershan Shaw to Film Season 13 of ‘Real Housewives of New York City’: 5 Things to Know

New blood in the Big Apple! Bershan Shaw is set to film for season 13 of The Real Housewives of New York City, Us Weekly can confirm. While the network has yet to publicly comment on Shaw’s role for the upcoming season, she is expected to be featured alongside cast members Ramona Singer,Leah McSweeney, Sonja Morgan and Luann de Lesseps. Tinsley Mortimer left in the middle of season 12, and Dorinda Medley announced her departure in August after six seasons on the reality show. “What a journey this has been. I have laughed and cried and tried to Make it Nice,” Medley, 55, wrote via Instagram. “But all things must come to an end. This was a great outlet for me to heal when my late husband Richard passed away. I have met so many interesting people and learned so much about myself, about life and about women along the way.” More recently, Medley opened up to former costar Bethenny Frankel about her departure, admitting that she wasn’t asked back by Bravo. [jwplayer cMuqM5jI-l3ahXupL] “I was ready to go back. I was excited about going back. I was planning on going back, and I thought I would have a great year,” she said on the Tuesday, October 6, episode of the “Just B” podcast. “I wasn’t given that option. … “I’m an old-fashioned girl. If you’re not waitressing and getting paid, you’re not waitressing, OK? You know what I’m saying? So at the end of the day, was it mutual? No.” The Massachusetts native went on to acknowledge that she had a tough season 12. “I probably should have taken a year off,” she told Frankel, 49. “I had a rough season, but that’s what we do as Housewives. We have good seasons, we have bad seasons. We come back, and we change it up.” While Medley may be gone, Andy Cohen has said more than once that he hopes she returns in the future. The producer has also made it clear that the network wants to add more diversity to RHONY. “We’re working on next season. I’m excited for what we have planned,” Cohen, 52, teased to Us in August. McSweeney, who joined during season 12, also revealed that she wanted to see different faces on season 13. “I hope that there’s not only diversity of race but an even deeper diversity of where someone lives or what their interests are,” the 38-year-old fashion designer told Page Six. “I hope that there’s just more diversity all across the board because New Yorkers are not a monolith, obviously. I think that it is gonna head in that direction.” Scroll through for 5 things to know about Shaw:

Credit: Rob Latour/Shutterstock

Bershan Shaw to Film Season 13 of ‘Real Housewives of New York City’: 5 Things to Know

New blood in the Big Apple! Bershan Shaw is set to film for season 13 of The Real Housewives of New York City, Us Weekly can confirm. While the network has yet to publicly comment on Shaw’s role for the upcoming season, she is expected to be featured alongside cast members Ramona Singer,Leah McSweeney, Sonja Morgan and Luann de Lesseps. Tinsley Mortimer left in the middle of season 12, and Dorinda Medley announced her departure in August after six seasons on the reality show. “What a journey this has been. I have laughed and cried and tried to Make it Nice,” Medley, 55, wrote via Instagram. “But all things must come to an end. This was a great outlet for me to heal when my late husband Richard passed away. I have met so many interesting people and learned so much about myself, about life and about women along the way.” More recently, Medley opened up to former costar Bethenny Frankel about her departure, admitting that she wasn’t asked back by Bravo. [jwplayer cMuqM5jI-l3ahXupL] “I was ready to go back. I was excited about going back. I was planning on going back, and I thought I would have a great year,” she said on the Tuesday, October 6, episode of the “Just B” podcast. “I wasn’t given that option. … “I’m an old-fashioned girl. If you’re not waitressing and getting paid, you’re not waitressing, OK? You know what I’m saying? So at the end of the day, was it mutual? No.” The Massachusetts native went on to acknowledge that she had a tough season 12. “I probably should have taken a year off,” she told Frankel, 49. “I had a rough season, but that’s what we do as Housewives. We have good seasons, we have bad seasons. We come back, and we change it up.” While Medley may be gone, Andy Cohen has said more than once that he hopes she returns in the future. The producer has also made it clear that the network wants to add more diversity to RHONY. “We’re working on next season. I’m excited for what we have planned,” Cohen, 52, teased to Us in August. McSweeney, who joined during season 12, also revealed that she wanted to see different faces on season 13. “I hope that there’s not only diversity of race but an even deeper diversity of where someone lives or what their interests are,” the 38-year-old fashion designer told Page Six. “I hope that there’s just more diversity all across the board because New Yorkers are not a monolith, obviously. I think that it is gonna head in that direction.” Scroll through for 5 things to know about Shaw:

Credit: Courtesy of Bershan Shaw/Instagram

1. She’s a Breast Cancer Survivor

"I am a stage 4 breast cancer survivor and this journey has prepared me to live my best life,” Shaw’s website reads. “I help transform the lives of leaders and business owners to get what they want from their business.”

Credit: Willy Sanjuan/Picturegroup/Shutterstock

2. She’s Not New to Reality TV

Shaw was featured as one of the four main cast members on OWN’s Love In the City, which ran for one season in 2014.

Credit: Courtesy of Bershan Shaw/Instagram

3. She’s a Motivational Speaker and Podcaster

Shaw, who studied broadcast journalism at Syracuse University and went to graduate school at NYU, works as a motivational speaker, business coach and hosts the “Buckle Up With Bershan” podcast.

Credit: Courtesy of Bershan Shaw/Instagram

4. She’ll Make History as the First Black Cast Member

Shaw is set to be the first Black woman on RHONY. While The Real Housewives of Atlanta and The Real Housewives of Potomac have had predominantly Black casts for years, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills brought on its first Black cast member, Garcelle Beauvais, for season 10.  

Credit: Courtesy of Bershan Shaw/Instagram

5. Her Current Relationship Status Is Unknown

While Shaw was married during her stint on Love In the City, her current status is unknown as she never shares photos with her husband on social media.

She opened up about him while promoting the show in 2014. “The reason I married him [is] because he stuck by me. Finding out that your wife has Stage Four breast cancer two weeks before the marriage could change your life,” she said. “You can say, I can’t deal with it – the sickness, the chemo, the wearing scarves, the throwing up, the drugs, the debilitating – my husband stuck by me. He told me, ‘I’m going to be there. You’re my wife, I’m going to be there.’ Then I knew, this is the man of my dreams.”