Cohen offered some explanation into Garcia's exit and where she stands with the future of 'RHOSLC.'
Monica Garcia, the breakout star of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City season 4, will not be returning for the upcoming season -- and Andy Cohen delved into the reason behind Bravo's decision.
The bombshell revelation that led to Garcia's exit revolves around her connection to the Instagram troll account, Reality Von Tease. For years, this account had targeted various RHOSLC cast members, causing a stir within the tight-knit group.
During Wednesday’s episode of SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live, the Bravo boss, alongside co-host John Hill, shared details surrounding Garcia's future with the show.
"The big question, since the Reality Von Tease reveal, has been, 'Will you keep Monica on the show?' and the news is out that we are gonna have a cooling off period," revealed Cohen, who hosts the Real Housewives reunions.
He further discussed the implications of the RHOSLC reunion, which serves as the "Supreme Court of public opinion." According to Cohen, Garcia had the opportunity to explain herself to both the audience and her fellow cast members, but failed to gain their trust.
"I think the reunion is the chance to come out, say why you did what you did on the season. Monica had the opportunity not only to explain herself to the audience but, way more importantly in this case, to the other women. I don't think she successfully swayed any of them to her side," he remarked.
Cohen also revealed that after extensive discussions, it was evident there was no path forward for Garcia with the other cast members. Trust became a significant issue, and the decision was made to allow some time for emotions to settle.
"We all discussed it ad nauseam that it would be best to kind of let this one breathe for a while. She's obviously really compelling television. Maybe she'll be able to build some inroads with some of the women on her own off-camera and, you know, we'll see if that happens," he said.
As the first Latina to join the RHOSLC cast, Garcia had become a fan favorite on the show. The news of her departure broke just hours before the airing of the third and final part of the show’s reunion, leaving fans in suspense about the details of the decision.
On Tuesday, ET confirmed that Garcia, 40, decided to leave the show after being at the center of many of season 4's controversies and biggest dramatic storylines.
"Monica is not currently scheduled to return to RHOSLC," a source close to the situation said. "It's too early to confirm her permanent departure, and there's a possibility of her making a return in the future. The extent of her future involvement remains uncertain at this point."
While Garcia did not comment publicly on the rumored exit from the Bravo series, she took to Instagram on Tuesday afternoon, just hours before the final reunion episode aired to urge fans to tune in.
"Might publish a book. What, like it’s hard? #rhoslc," Garcia wrote on Instagram. "FINAL EPISODE TONIGHT and I cannot wait to hear all your thoughts!! @bravotv."
On Tuesday’s episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, which followed part 3 of the RHOSLC reunion, Heather Gay reacted to Garcia's exit and credited her for inadvertently bringing the cast closer together during her first and only season on the show.
"What Monica never got was that it was a show about friendship. And she was not interested in being any of our friends," Gay told Cohen. "I'm just looking forward to filming with Whitney [Rose] and Meredith [Marks] and Lisa [Barlow] and Angie [Katsanevas]. They're my actual friends and we have a great time together."
While on WWHL, Gay passionately shared her love for her RHOSLC co-stars, emphasizing the deep connection she feels with all of them, and highlighted the role of a "common enemy" in fostering unity among the cast members.
Gay reminisced about a pivotal moment on the beach when her fellow housewives stood by her side when she confronted Garcia.
"And they had my back on the beach," she said of the moment she exposed Garcia. "They could have blown me off, they could have said a thousand things, but they said, 'I have your back.' It was a pivotal moment for all of us as friends."
RHOSLC is set to start filming its fifth season next month.
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