via Bravo TV Press Release
The all new season of Bravo Media’s “The Real Housewives of New York City” premieres on Wednesday, April 6 at 9pm ET/PT with Bethenny Frankel, Carole Radziwill, Dorinda Medley, Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Sonja Morgan and new housewife—socialite Julianne “Jules” Wainstein. This tumultuous season is marked by the pursuit of love: the ladies who have it are trying to keep it, and the ones who don’t are trying to get it. And now for the first time ever viewers can come along for the ride. For a sneak peek of the series, visit: http://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-new-york-city/season-8/videos/the-rhony-wives-are-back
It’s a season of new beginnings for the women. Bethenny is officially ready to start dating again while taking her Skinnygirl empire to the next level, but unexpected health issues threaten to derail her plans. Embracing a new chapter in her life, Ramona is single and ready to mingle—but first she has to sharpen her dating skills. Dorinda continues to grow in her relationship with John but constantly finds herself defending it to others, leaving her torn between her heart and her friends. Carole is enjoying her growing romance with her younger beau, Adam, but needs to come to grips with what their relationship truly means. With her daughter away at boarding school, Sonja is experiencing empty-nest syndrome as she focuses her sights on rebuilding friendships and tackling new business ventures. Recently engaged Luann couldn’t be happier with her new relationship, but unsettling rumors surrounding her behavior put her on the outs with most of the ladies. Julianne "Jules" Wainstein is new to the mix, but she's no stranger to mixing things up. With two young kids taking all of her attention, Jules strives to start a business while leaning hard on her husband to be more supportive.
Meet the housewives:
Natural foods chef, best-selling author, reality TV star, self-made businesswoman, and mom Bethenny Frankel first came to national attention with her wit, wisdom and humor when she was named first runner-up on NBC’s The Apprentice: Martha Stewart. Her success on the series led her to Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New York City for three seasons, as well as two spin-off series on the network, Bethenny Getting Married? and Bethenny Ever After…. After a three-season hiatus, Bethenny made her highly anticipated return for Season 7 of The Real Housewives of New York City.
Bethenny is the creator of the low-calorie cocktail brand Skinnygirl Cocktails and partnered with Beam Suntory in 2011. The cocktail portfolio now includes more than 20 products, including wines, flavored vodkas and delicious ready-to-drink cocktails. Frankel is a brand collaborator, developer and marketer for Skinnygirl Cocktails. As the owner of Skinnygirl, Bethenny has created a thriving lifestyle brand featuring products offering women practical solutions to everyday problems. Some of the many Skinnygirl products are “Sparklers” non-alcoholic beverages, candy, microwave popcorn, protein bars and shakes, salad dressings, liquid sweeteners and water enhancers, shapewear, and appliances. In 2013, Frankel brought her distinct voice and candid point of view to daytime television on Bethenny, her nationally syndicated daytime talk program, and she has been named one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Celebrities by Forbes magazine.
She is the five-time bestselling author of Skinnydipping, A Place of Yes: 10 Rules for Getting Everything You Want out of Life, Naturally Thin: Unleash Your Skinnygirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting, The Skinnygirl™ Dish: Easy Recipes for Your Naturally Thin Life, and I Suck at Relationships So You Don’t Have To. She has also authored Skinnygirl Solutions: Simple Ideas, Extraordinary Results; the children’s book Cookie Meets Peanut; and the cocktail book Skinnygirl Cocktails.
Best-selling author and award-winning journalist Carole Radziwill grew up in upstate New York. She moved to New York City to attend college, earning a B.A. at Hunter College and a masters degree at New York University. In 1988, she landed an internship at ABC News. It was the start of a long and rewarding career. Carole’s work with Peter Jennings' documentary unit and the newsmagazine shows Primetime Live and 20/20 garnered her three Emmy Awards, a Robert F. Kennedy Humanitarian Award, and a GLAAD Award. Carole has traveled all over the world for her work, reporting on stories from places like Cambodia, India, and the Middle East. She was assigned to Israel in 1991 to cover the first Gulf War. In 2001, during the Afghanistan War, she spent a month embedded in the 101st Airborne Division in Kandahar. While there, she filmed for the ABC docuseries Profiles From the Front Line. In 2003, Carole left ABC News to write her first book, What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship and Love. It is a moving account of her life, her marriage to fellow ABC News producer Anthony Radziwill, and their heartbreaking battle with cancer. What Remains spent more than 20 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List and was nominated for the Books for a Better Life Award. Carole is a contributor to Glamour magazine and Porter magazine. Her first novel, The Widow's Guide to Sex & Dating, was published in February 2014. She is at work on her next book, which will be a collection of essays on topics ranging from love to war to the drama of reality.
Dorinda Medley returns to Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New York City this season with her trademark sequins, humor and exuberant perspective. Born in the Berkshires in Massachusetts, Dorinda graduated college and arrived in New York City, working in the showrooms of Liz Claiborne. She met her first husband and followed him to London to start a family and eventually her own cashmere company, DCL Cashmere. Many high-profile London clients like Princess Diana and Joan Collins became acquaintances, and soon, Dorinda left her mark on London society. Ten years in London also brought her a daughter, Hannah, a divorce, and a wish to return to New York to figure out life in the city as a single mom. In 2005, Dorinda met and married financier Richard Medley, a former Washington powerbroker and respected speechwriter to Congresswoman and vice-presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro; and together they worked on fundraising for charitable causes with the likes of Bishop Desmond Tutu, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Secretary Madeline Albright, and President Bill and Secretary Hillary Clinton.
After the tragic loss of her beloved Richard in 2011, Dorinda and Hannah found strength in each other and in their loved ones to overcome the radical changes of losing a husband, friend, companion, and father figure. Through perseverance and support from her close friends, Dorinda climbed right back to the top of New York society, eventually meeting boyfriend John Mahdessian, owner of New York’s legendary couture restoration house, Madame Paulette. Dorinda is always directing her energy and focus into her home, her family, her friends, her favorite charities, her Twitter, and her love for pop culture. She enjoys the theater, the beach, the mountains, fabulous parties, a great dirty Martini, and all types of fashion—both high-end and high-street—and considers all of her pieces collector’s items. There’s never enough glitz, glam and sparkle for this true New York City Housewife.
Stay-at-home mom and socialite Julianne Wainstein, known as “Jules” to her friends, joins The Real Housewives of New York City this season, bringing a youthful and dynamic point of view. The Hong Kong-born beauty had a colorful upbringing traveling the world with her parents and gaining experiences that ignited her own love of travel and culture.
Inspired by her father’s successful career as a fashion entrepreneur, Jules studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, eventually securing her first job as an assistant buyer and designer at a boutique fashion company in SoHo. A true businesswoman at heart, Jules honed her socialite skills as an event planner for the Women’s International Zionist Organization, a non-party international movement that raises money for schools and programs for women and the elderly in Israel.
Today, Jules lives with her husband of eight years, Michael Wainstein—a principal at Private Capital Group—and their two children, five-year-old Jagger and two-year-old Rio. The couple splits their time between their homes in Manhattan, Water Mill, and Miami while traveling the globe with the hope that their children will one day share their passion to explore. Whether walking a red carpet or attending a charity gala, Jules loves the social scene Manhattan has to offer and is part of an elite circle of classy women that includes good friend and current housewife Dorinda Medley.
Jules juggles her various career opportunities, spending time with her family and friends, and volunteering with as many charities as possible.
Countess Luann de Lesseps, everyone’s favorite countess, continues to juggle a busy schedule of work and being a mother. Her two children, Victoria and Noel, are in college, and both are accomplished artists. In 2014, Luann, known for her distinctive style, successfully launched her own fashion line, The Countess Collection, for Evine, and her lifestyle brand now includes a jewelry collection and will soon include home and spirits. She continues to challenge herself and expand her horizons with frequent hosting and guest appearances on national and regional shows like Steve Harvey, Watch What Happens Live!, The Insider, The Meredith Vieira Show, The Talk, OK! TV, Good Day New York, and others. She recently appeared as a guest star on the popular Hulu show Difficult People. Her theater credits include Celebrity Autobiography. Luann’s book, Class with the Countess, is still in print, and her three dance singles “Money Can’t Buy You Class,” “Chic, C’est la Vie,” and “Girl Code” continue to be popular across the globe. Luann champions many charities, including The American Cancer Society, GLAAD, and ACE Partnership for the Homeless. She divides her time between her Manhattan apartment and her home in Sag Harbor, NY. Luann recently became engaged to businessman Thomas D’Agostino, and her family also includes her Westie, Aston. www.luanndelesseps.com
Ramona Singer is a true entrepreneur, most recently collaborating with Lux Beauty Club, the first membership-only website for hair extensions. At an early age, she had a passion for fashion, and she attended the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she was the first graduate of the four-year honors program, earning a BS in marketing. Ramona started her career in the elite Macy’s executive training program and was a buyer. She continued her career in sales management for major fashion companies such as Calvin Klein and French Connection. At the age of 30, she launched her own company dealing in closeout merchandise, working with some of the largest retailers. Charity work is also close to her heart, especially supporting women and children who are victims of domestic abuse, after the abuse she witnessed her own mother endure. Ramona has always been a strong believer that children are the future and became involved with Africa Foundation/And Beyond, which helps build schools for children in Africa. Always open to new opportunities, Ramona has taken all of the recent developments in her life and made the most out of them. She is newly single and is focused on healthy living and spending time with her daughter Avery.
Sonja Morgan is a fixture of New York City society. She got her start modeling in Paris and Milan and studying marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology, representing high-end luxury brands while keeping her Berkshire-bred sensibilities and values. Sonja used her business acumen, social skills, rock-and-rollers, royalty, and power set to launch several luxury fashion brands and successful hot spots across the country. Sonja captured America's attention with her groundbreaking toaster oven recipes, which inspired the all-encompassing international lifestyle fashion brand she wishes to grow globally with her partners. She recently launched the Sonja Morgan New York sportswear, ready-to-wear, evening gowns, and fine jewelry collection—which is expected soon in fine department stores and online—during New York Fall Fashion Week 2015. As a divorced, single mother, Sonja dedicates her time to her 14-year-old daughter, her businesses, and her philanthropy, which includes work with the LGBT community, children, artists, and animals. A lover of the arts, Sonja loves producing, writing, and performing her inspirational “caburlesque” skits at her Sonja in the City events that benefit her charities. She received a New York State Senate award in July 2013 for her entrepreneurial business savvy, her use of media, and her charity work. In addition, she was interviewed on those topics by The Economist magazine at the New York Stock Exchange for Bloomberg TV. As a fashion and lifestyle consultant, Sonja shares “Sonja Style!” on her podcast at Play.it. Sonja’s motto remains "live each day as if you have nothing to lose and everything to gain."
The Real Housewives of New York City Season 8 premieres on Wednesday, April 6 at 9pm/8c on Bravo!
Photo/Video Credit: Bravo
