BravoUPDATE: Following Yolanda's announcement, Bravo released a statement of their own, telling E! News, "Yolanda was a great addition to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Along with our viewers, we have enjoyed and appreciated Yolanda sharing her life events, especially more recently as she struggled with Lyme Disease. We now respect her decision to focus on her health and family. We wish her a full recovery and hope to see her again sometime on the show."
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Yolanda Hadid is leaving The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The model and author mother to three took to Instagram to make her announcement.
Her statement in full: "I would have loved a more graceful exit then "Season 6" but sometimes we don't get to control the endings of the chapters in our life............ I am leaving what's over without denying its past importance in my life. I believe that every exit is an new entry and with that in mind I say goodbye to my@Bravotv Family as I continue to focus on a my recovery and bring back the privacy within our home........... Thank you to all the fans for your love and unwavering support these past 4 years. I am grateful for the housewife experience and all it has thought me. I'am excited about this choice and look forward to the next chapter of my life.................. #RHOBH#TimeToSayGoodbye with #Gratitude@evolutionusa @bravoandy @bravotv#WWHL"
Executive producer Andy Cohen responded to Yolanda on Twitter. "We love you @YolandaHFoster #RHOBH," he tweeted with a heart emoji.
Yolanda joined the Bravo series in season three and was a fulltime Housewife since then. Last season, season six, featured the ladies debating Yolanda's battle with Lyme disease with Lisa Rinna and Lisa Vanderpump squaring off over who started the Munchausen by proxy syndrome conversation. The ladies speculated whether she was actually suffering from an illness or it was in her head. Viewers also saw cracks begin in her marriage to David Foster.
Over the years on the Bravo series, viewers have seen Yolanda struggle with Lyme disease as her children grew up. The show also chronicled Bella Hadid and Gigi Hadid's blossoming modeling careers.
Just because she announced her exit doesn't mean viewers have seen the last of Yolanda on the Bravo reality series. Former full-time cast members Camille Grammer, Taylor Armstrong, Adrienne Maloof, Kim Richards and Brandi Glanville have all appeared in recurring capacity since exiting the show as Housewives.
The cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, which has already been renewed, included Rinna, Vanderpump, Kyle Richards, Eileen Davidson, Erika Girardi and Kathryn Edwards in season six. No official cast announcement for season seven has been announced.
(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)