What will "Selling Sunset" be like without Christine Quinn? If the show is renewed for Season Six, we might find out — because, following tumult with fellow agents, Quinn is not likely to return to the Oppenheim Group.
While Quinn is no stranger to inter-cast drama, things became particularly heated toward the end of Season Five, which premiered on April 22. Cast member Emma Hernan claimed that an unnamed client of hers said Quinn offered to pay him $5,000 to not work with Hernan.
Hernan met with Oppenheim and Mary Fitzgerald, recently promoted to Vice President at The Oppenheim Group, to discuss the bribery allegation. Quinn declined to speak to Oppenheim and Mary, leaving her fate at the brokerage open-ended.
During the Season Five reunion, Oppenheim shared an update about the bribery allegation, as well as Quinn's place at the brokerage. Quinn declined to attend the reunion, citing a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.
Oppenheim said he confident Quinn bribed Hernan's client after speaking to the individual directly.
"I spoke to him in person. Well, I should say, over the phone. I know the gentleman. I've met him and I asked him many follow-up questions," Oppenheim said. "He was very clear about what happened."
"I don't think it's up for debate that she did this," he added.
At the same time, Oppenheim said that he would still “love to hear Christine’s explanation” because he believes that “there are sides to stories.”
But the conversation between Quinn and Oppenheim hasn't taken place yet. "We've texted and we haven't really addressed this situation. She hasn't reached out to talk about it. I know that she has some thoughts on it," he said.
As a result of this allegation, Oppenheim said Quinn is unlikely to return to the Oppenheim Group. "Right now, there's not a place for her at the Oppenheim Group," he said.
Though, Oppenheim said, that could change. "Now, in the future, if she takes real estate seriously, if I can get an understanding on her perspective on things, if she changes her behavior, if brings in a big listing, there're a lot of reasons where I would consider her having a place at the Oppenheim Group, but right now, there is no place," he said.
Quinn, on her end, has openly expressed her dissatisfaction with the series and her cast mates, both on the show and off.
“I really just feel like it’s becoming difficult for me to just do my job,” she told friend Chelsea Lazkani in the Season Five finale. "I feel like I’ve just gotten to a point where I just don’t want to be in the office because ... because drama is affecting my business and I don’t want that.”
Then, the day of the premiere, she told fans to “enjoy” the “5,000 fake storylines” that “Selling Sunset” has to offer, implying the show's drama is inauthentic.
Further, it appears Quinn is moving on professionally. Quinn and her husband, software engineer and entrepreneur Christian Dumontet, founded a real estate company called RealOpen, which allows people to use cryptocurrency to buy and sell homes.
A Forbes profile of Quinn, Dumontet, and Real Open landed same day that Season Five premiered.
In a tweet about Real Open, Quinn alluded to moving on from her old workplace: "Why work for someone else when you can be your own CEO?"
"Selling Sunset" has not yet been renewed. While Quinn may not return to the Oppenheim Group, there's no word as to her future on the show. TODAY has reached out to Quinn for comment.