Reports of a legacy season of Bravo's The Real Housewives of New York City have somewhat reignited interest in the show after a less-than-favorable season 13, and few others, such as the polarizing Alex McCord, will likely not appear. The season lacked a lot of what RHONY fans are used to seeing, was met with controversy after tense discussions surrounding race, and even went by without a reunion for the first time ever. For the new Legacy season Bravo is promising a mixture of past cast members with speculation regarding the return of fan favorites like Jill Zarin and Dorinda Medley, and a few others.
RHONY season 13 had doubters from the get-go. A much smaller cast, mid-pandemic filming times, and the departure of Dorinda were just a few of the ingredients contributing to something that may have been cursed before it even began. To top off a poorly-received season, RHONY season 13 was the first Housewives series to not conclude with a reunion, citing "scheduling conflicts" as the reason. Bravo was forced to re-evaluate RHONY, and earlier this year news broke that not only would the next season be made up of a fully refreshed cast, but there'd be an additional spin-off featuring all former RHONY women.
Alex McCord left RHONY after season four, but her time on the show was unsteady and interesting. Viewers watched as she entered RHONY, flaunting her wealth and introduced her French au pair to the fans. As the seasons went on, tension and judgment ran rampant between her and the other women. Her tumultuous time on the show included Alex's iconic moments of her living in Brooklyn, "trying to survive in this economy," storming into a room wearing Herman Munster shoes, a feud kicking off at a Pride march, and a messy Morocco holiday. All points are a pretty strong indication fans won't be seeing Alex on the Legacy season of RHONY as time soon. Confrontation didn't seem to be her strong suit, as Alex would be seen stammering and barely able to hold up her end of an argument. In a franchise where drama and mixed personalities are at the center, it's clear Alex may have done her dash. However, there's more to suggest her return is out of the question.
After she departed from RHONY, Alex hit the books and earned her B.A. in Psychology, and in 2014, Alex, her husband, Simon van Kempen, and their two boys, Francois and Johan, moved to Byron Bay in Australia. Alex currently resides there as a practicing psychologist living in the hinterland, according to Alex's Instagram bio. In 2017, Alex caught up with Andy Cohen and revealed that she doesn't watch any of The Real Housewives anymore, and in Dave Quinn's 2021 tell-all book Not All Diamonds And Rosé, Andy claimed that Alex and Simon filmed vlogs after being let go from the show, where they would go “for blood” regarding RHONY, and express their belief that production had a hand in manipulating certain elements.
With recorded accusations of manipulation behind the scenes, rocky relationships with cast members, and flustered responses to confrontation, it's fair to say The Real Housewives universe is not one Alex McCord is chopping at the bit to return to. Having settled in Australia with her family and found a new calling in psychology, the former RHONY star has shifted her focus. However, there are a plethora of fan favorites in the possible pipeline for a Legacy season, something that fans are excited at the prospect of, especially considering the return of Dorinda and Jill on the upcoming The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip season 2. A Legacy season has the potential to reignite the slowly flickering flame that is The Real Housewives of New York City.
Sources: Alex McCord/Instagram