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Credit: Nicole Weingart/Bravo
As Vanderpump Rules remains on pause ahead of its upcoming 12th season, an insider is suspecting that the new episodes could be its last.
Following a report last week that suggested that filming for the new season had been postponed, it is being alleged that producers have been faced with salary disputes with the cast as they also deal with challenges related to the division among the group.
“They’re still negotiating with a few stars who are holding out for more money and are unwilling to compromise,” an insider revealed to the Daily Mail on October 21, noting that producers were looking for new cast members.
While it does not appear that there are any current plans to replace the cast ahead of season 12, the source said producers would consider doing so if the OGs were unable to mend their fractured relationships and film an authentic 12th season.
Meanwhile, another source said season 12 could serve as the series’ “farewell season.”
“There’s so many issues between various cast members, and it’s no longer an organic group of friends that want to hang out with each other,” the insider explained. “In the past, they’ve been able to come back from some of the worst fights imaginable, so there’s still hope that they can all move forward and have a fresh start. Nothing has been decided yet as far as the future of the show, but it can’t continue this way so things are definitely going to change.”
Although conversations “are still ongoing” about production on the new episodes, a decision is expected to be made soon, which has some SUR employees feeling “desperate” to get cast as potential replacements for the OGs.
As Pump Rules fans may know, Ariana Madix, 39, refused to film season 11 with Tom Sandoval, 43, following his affair with Rachel “Raquel” Leviss, 30, which led to criticism from Lala Kent, 34, and Scheana Shay, 39. Ariana then grew closer to her sandwich shop co-owner, Katie Maloney, 37, who faced her own drama with Lala and Scheana.
Amid the cast divide, members of the show have focused their attention elsewhere, with Lala and Scheana landing last-minute contracts for the second season of The Valley and Sandoval hinting at his own addition to the Pump Rules spinoff following his recent reconciliation with Jax Taylor, 45.
As for the rest of the cast, James Kennedy, 32, has been busy DJing around the county, and Lisa Vanderpump, 64, recently put down roots in Las Vegas, where she purchased a $5 million property earlier this month.
Back in May, as he looked ahead to the new season, executive producer Alex Baskin explained the decision to put the series on pause.
“We thought the break was the right way to go. It’s clear that everyone needs time to reset,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “I think we’re going to take a full look at what the group looks like in a period of time and figure out what we want to do next. And that may mean that certain people have to make decisions as well. We don’t want anyone to do the show if it doesn’t make sense for where they are now.”
“I think we as a show will gather ourselves and look at what we want to do, and that will be informed by what everyone individually wants to do. And then we’ll figure out what the path is going forward,” he added.
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