The Real Housewives of New York City may finally be ready to embrace and reflect the diversity of the Big Apple. Motivational speaker and entrepreneur Bershan Shaw—who also happens to be Black—is rumored to be the next new woman to hold an apple when RHONY returns for season 13, TMZ reported.
A source told Page Six that Shaw has filmed with “some of the cast, but nothing is official yet.” RHONY star Leah McSweeney has been pushing for diversity. She told Page Six last month: “I hope that there’s not only diversity of race, but an even deeper diversity of where someone lives or what their interests are. 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.”
Real Housewives fans were thrilled. Wrote one, “Into this,” while another wrote, “Wow. Thank you, Bershan Shaw. For moving our people forward, by joining this ridiculous show. One small step for Bershan, one giant leap for the black community.”
Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer and Sonja Morgan are also expected to appear in Season 13, though Dorinda Medley and Tinsley Mortimer are out.