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Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Shakeup Coming: Taylor Armstrong Could Be Out, New Ladies in Talks

Sources tell E! News that producers of the hit show are meeting with potential new cast members, including Rod Stewart's wife, to pursue different story lines

By Natalie Finn, Melanie Bromley Feb 12, 2013 2:35 AMTags
Taylor Armstrong, Real Housewives of Beverly HillsBRAVO

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is being primed for a makeover.

Sources tell E! News that original cast member Taylor Armstrong is likely on her way out as a star of the show and producers are reaching out to some new ladies in the neighborhood—including Rod Stewart's wife, Penny Lancaster—to get some fresh plot points in the mix.

At the moment, none of the existing leading ladies have received their official pick-ups yet, but filming will have begun by April and they will know at least three weeks beforehand which of them should be expecting camera crews at their doorsteps.

One source tells us that Armstrong doesn't know that she's up for replacement, but "producers are looking at other options. They feel like Taylor's storyline has become too dark and they need to shake things up a bit."

Much of Armstrong's involvement in the show has dealt with the fallout from her husband Russell's suicide in 2011, and the third season concluded with Kim and Kyle Richards being concerned as to whether their friend was drinking too much.

"They have been talking to quite a few new people," the source adds, noting that at least five women have been approached, including Lancaster and a woman whose family owns swanky L.A. seafood house Crustacean. "There are also discussions about Faye Resnick  possibly coming onboard as a full time-member."

Bravo did not respond to a request for comment. Armstrong's rep tells E!: "The network has not made any decisions. Any speculation that she will not be returning is just speculation."

(E! Online and Bravo are both members of the NBCUniversal family.)