Is Lisa Rinna's time on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills really over?
Executive producer Andy Cohen certainly hopes not. As he said on his SiriusXM show Radio Andy on Jan. 9, "I really do hope that this is a pause. I hope she will come back, I really do." Lisa announced her departure from the Bravo series after eight seasons on Jan. 5.
Lisa wouldn't be the first Real Housewives star to return to their franchise after a break, as The Real Housewives of Orange County's Tamra Judge announced she'd be returning to RHOC after an almost three-year hiatus in July.
And according to Andy, it's the time Tamra spent away from the series that made her want to come back. "She said, 'I think it was actually really positive to leave and get some air and step back,'" he shared. "So, I just hope that Lisa will humor us and come back."
The Watch What Happens Live host also said he was surprised to read in Lisa's departure statement that RHOBH was the longest TV job she's ever had. "That is a testament to how compelling Lisa Rinna is," he said, "to watch on television that she went eight years."
"Think of all the memes that Lisa Rinna has generated," Andy added. "Think of all the gifs she's generated."
Lisa's co-star Sutton Stracke also weighed in on her exit from the series, exclusively telling E! News at her West Hollywood store, The Sutton Concept, on Jan. 7, "I think we're all sad that Lisa's leaving."
But just like Andy, Sutton said, "I don't think this is the last we'll see from her."
Bravo has yet to announce the official cast lineup for RHOBH's upcoming season 13.
Catch up on past seasons of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills streaming now on Peacock.
(E!, Bravo and Peacock are all part of the NBCUniversal family.)