Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Red Alert! Bravo Scrambles to Edit but No Decision on Whether Season Will Be Delayed

Season two premiere remains scheduled for Sept. 5, but network president says producers are recutting in wake of Russell Armstrong's suicide

By Natalie Finn Aug 19, 2011 5:08 PMTags
RHOBH, THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS CastNBCUniversal, Inc.

No one will be watching what happens just yet.

In an expected turn of events, Bravo has confirmed that producers are scrambling to recut episodes of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in the wake of Russell Armstrong's suicide.

But as for a report that the second season of the reality hit will be pushed back?

So far, that's not the case.

"Contrary to what is being reported, we have not made a decision to change our original premiere date but we are in the process of reediting the show," the network's president, Frances Berwick, told Variety.

Speaking to E! News, a Bravo source shot down yesterday's Hollywood Reporter story claiming that the premiere would be pushed back by at least a week, if not longer, from its scheduled Sept. 5 launch.

After making her feelings as a beleaguered wife known during Real Housewives' first season, Taylor Armstrong filed for divorce from Russell in July, citing irreconcilable differences and calling it a difficult but necessary decision.

The storyline was going to be featured prominently in the upcoming season, although it is unclear how much Russell himself figured into the show's plans. While he did tape segments for the new season, he doesn't appear in advance copies of the first episode that had been sent to media outlets for review.

However, the premiere episode does discuss Taylor's marital issues, which, at one point, are even mocked by a fellow Housewife.

Earlier this week, Russell's attorney, Ronald Richards, told E! News this week that his client was troubled by things said about him on the show, but stopped short of blaming the show for Armstrong's death. Some relatives have threatened to sue Bravo, but legal experts say the chances of such a legal action succeeding are very slim. Russell had a long history of personal, financial and legal troubles outside of the show.

E! News has confirmed that the entire cast, minus Taylor, huddled with the show's production company, Evolution USA, on Wednesday night to discuss the tragedy and the upcoming season.

Taylor, meanwhile, has not commented beyond an initial statement on Tuesday saying she was "devastated" and asking for privacy in this understandably heart-wrenching time.