Real Housewives of Beverly Hills fan favorite Denise Richards is back on the show.
But her comeback had one nonnegotiable condition – she would not appear if former castmate Lisa Rinna also returned.
RadarOnline.comcan reveal the ultimatum sent shockwaves behind the scenes.
“Denise doesn’t care how much Bravo throws at her – diamonds, cameras, whatever,” one source said. “If Rinna’s there, she walks.”
Taking Back Her Narrative
Lisa Rinna was barred from returning as Denise Richards set a nonnegotiable condition for her ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ comeback.
Another insider said this wasn’t about revenge.
“This was about sanity, self-respect and controlling her own narrative,” the source said. “She’s done being anyone’s sidekick or someone else’s storyline.”
Richards, 54, who appeared on the show for two seasons starting in 2019, had a falling-out with Rinna, 62, over rumors she had an affair with another Beverly Hills housewife, Brandi Glanville, which Richards has adamantly denied.
“I had a 20-year friendship with Lisa, and to see how she could sacrifice a friendship of 20 years for a show that isn’t going to last forever – obviously, she isn’t on it anymore – like, at what cost?” Richards said on Bethenny Frankel‘s Just Bpodcast.
Boundary Set, Terms Enforced
Bravo sources said the network chose Richards over Rinna after insiders confirmed there was no back-and-forth on her ultimatum.
Insiders claimed Richards never wavered from her hard-line stance about Rinna.
“She drew the boundary, and they respected it,” a well-placed insider confirmed. “There was no back-and-forth. This was her hill.”
While a Bravo rep said “there is absolutely no truth to this,” a top network source confided: “It was Rinna-free or no diamond. Denise chose her terms – and Bravo chose Denise.”
Now she’s back, holding a diamond, reclaiming her narrative and playing the game entirely by her own rules.
