Tune into any season or spin-off of Real Housewives, and you're in for a drama-filled ride. The reality show has been a mainstay on Bravo since The Real Housewives of Orange County's 2006 debut, and there are now series set in major hubs across the world, along with several Housewives-led spin-offs. One of those spin-offs is The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip (RHUGT), a mash-up of cast members from different cities that's broadcast on the streaming platform Peacock. The show just finished filming its fourth season, but a rift between two of its stars—Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Brandi Glanville and Real Housewives of New Jersey alum Caroline Manzo—is already making headlines. Read on to find out what reportedly happened when "physical boundaries were crossed."
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Glanville got too comfortable with Manzo, sources reported.
Kathy Hutchins / ShutterstockSeason 4 of RHUGT was filmed in Marrakech, Morocco, bringing back the Ex-Wives Club format first used two seasons prior, in which the cast is made up of Housewives who have left their respective series. The first batch of "ex-wives" traveled to former Real Housewives of New York cast member Dorinda Medley's Bluestone Manor estate in Great Barrington Massachusetts, per Bravo.
The cast for the new season includes returning ex-wives Glanville, Vicki Gunvalson, Eva Marcille, and Phaedra Parks, and new additions Camille Meyer, Alex McCord, Gretchen Rossi, and Manzo. While viewers always expect tensions to mount over the course of a season, Glanville and Manzo got off to a rocky start, three insiders told People. According to the first insider, Glanville crossed a line by trying to kiss Manzo multiple times without her consent during filming last week.
"It was unwanted," the source told People. "And Caroline's distress over the matter did not seem to stop Brandi. Things escalated and physical boundaries allegedly were crossed that Caroline felt were serious and uncomfortable."
Glanville was asked to leave, but Manzo decided to go on her own.
Access Hollywood / YouTubeAccording to a second source, Glanville apologized via text after she was informed that Manzo was uncomfortable. Filming continued, but in the meantime, the issue was escalated to "higher ups" in production, and Glanville was then asked to leave. A third source explained to People, "Brandi's behavior was inappropriate, so she was asked to leave."
Manzo wasn't initially aware of this decision, but later that night, she, too, decided to leave Marrakech earlier than planned. "She needed to process this outside of the reality TV environment," the first source told People.
Filming concluded just a few days later on Saturday, Jan. 28, but both the cast and production supported Manzo's decision to depart, per the third source.
Best Life reached out to representatives for Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, Glanville, and Manzo, but has not yet heard back.
Fans have been vocal about their feelings on social media.
Bravo / YouTubeAs with many celebrity feuds, fans are already taking sides. On Twitter, many were quick to say that Glanville was out of line.
"Seeing as Brandi is always the aggressor, I'm with Caroline," one tweet reads. "If you hate Caroline Manzo so much that you support Brandi allegedly repeatedly kissing her without consent then you have issues," another fan wrote. "Sure she’s done horrendous things but when you start denying someone their bodily autonomy you can go [expletive] yourself."
Yet another viewer claimed that this isn't unusual behavior for Glanville. "Bravo has protected her and her inappropriate behavior for a very long time," they wrote. "Good for Caroline Manzo. #RHUGT"
Manzo's past behavior also resurfaced on social media.
s_bukley / ShutterstockOther fans came to Glanville's defense, citing Manzo's decision to support her brother-in-law, Thomas Manzo, who was married to Manzo's estranged sister (and former Real Housewives co-star) Dina Cantin. The familial drama dates back to 2015, when Thomas allegedly hired a hitman to attack Dina's current husband, David Cantin. In 2017, Thomas was also accused of being an accomplice in at robbery at Dina and David's home—an incident where Dina was beaten and tied up, the Daily Mail reported.
Caroline is married to Thomas' brother, Albert Manzo. For a pre-trial hearing in 2021, Caroline wrote a letter in support of Thomas, in which she called him "kind-hearted and caring." The letter sparked outrage from fans at the time—and it's not something they're ready to forgive.
"#RHUGHT4 @andy @peacock @bravotv Do not reprimand @BrandiGlanville for doing her job!" one tweet reads. "Caroline Manzo does not belong on TV: she wrote a letter to support a man who invaded + brutally beat her own sister." The account added that Manzo reportedly also made demands on set by calling for a storyline about her husband's alleged mistress to be axed.
For some viewers, there is no side to pick. "Can't stand either of them," one tweet reads.
According to People, there is no release date scheduled for Season 4 of RHUGT—or for the show's third season, which is expected to premiere some time this year on Peacock.
