One source told us that network execs are hyper-focused on the continued success of the series given the explosion in viewership during Season 10, which documented the demise of Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula’s marriage before she struck up a secret romance with West Wilson.
We’re told showrunners are finding new ways to prevent interest from fading the way it did with “Vanderpump Rules” post-Scandoval.
Our source noted that the stakes are even higher because multiple “Summer House” stars — including Batula and Wilson — are not returning for Season 11, which will begin filming this coming weekend.
We’re told the network will be experimenting with crossover episodes featuring Bravolebrities from other shows. Notably, cast members from “Southern Hospitality” were pictured hanging with the “Summer House” crew in the Hamptons over Fourth of July weekend.
“There could be some fun crossovers if they are organic to the show,” a second source told us, emphasizing that Cooke “has been seen around town kissing cast members from other shows.”
Indeed, Cooke and “Next Gen NYC” star Ava Dash — who first sparked dating speculation in March — were spotted locking lips at a Hamptons bar late last month.
Cooke also seems to be entertaining “Southern Charm” star Salley Carson, as the two were “seen making out [and] all over each other” days later.
Our second source insisted that Bravo “couldn’t be more excited” about what’s to come for “Summer House,” boasting that the series was just nominated for its first Emmy Award in the category of unstructured reality program.
However, our first source is adamant that “Vanderpump Rules” keeps coming up in closed-door conversations.
After Tom Sandoval’s dalliance with his longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix’s then-pal Rachel “Raquel” Leviss was exposed, the show experienced a ratings surge for Season 11. Notably, Sandoval, Leviss and Madix all came back for that season, though Madix refused to film with them.
Due to lingering tensions among the fractured cast, the network put the series on an extended pause, ultimately scrapping the entire cast for a rebooted Season 12.
Though “Vanderpump Rules” 2.0 suffered a massive drop in live TV ratings, its streaming stats were enough to secure an early renewal for Season 13.
As for Batula and Wilson — who are still together — she had been a “Summer House” regular since Season 2, while he joined the cast in Season 8.
Wilson — who was close with Cooke and in the process of rekindling his relationship with Batula’s now-former best friend Ciara Miller — later confirmed he was fired from the show, acknowledging, “I don’t think it would have been a fun summer.”
