After a season that concluded with receipts, proof and timelines, it appears that Monica Garcia will be taking a break from “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.”
During the Jan. 23 episode of “Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen,” the host asked “RHOSLC” Heather Gay how she felt now that her cast member would not be part of Season Five.
“Variety has just broken the news that Monica is going to be taking a break from the show,” Andy Cohen said, before turning to Gay and asking, “Your reaction to that is?”
Gay jokingly replied asking if Garcia’s mom, Linda, was “in the running” as a replacement?
“I mean, what Monica never got is that it was a show about friendship and she was not interested in being any of our friends,” Gay said. “And I’m just looking forward to filming with, you know, Whitney (Rose) and Meredith (Marks) and Lisa (Barlow) and Angie (Katsanevas).”
Adding, “They’re my actual friends and we have a great time together.”
A representative for Garcia did not immediately reply to TODAY.com’s request for comment.
Prior to Cohen’s comments, Bravo told TODAY.com they had not confirmed Garcia’s departure.
However, Cohen, Lisa Shannon, the SVP at Shed Media, which produces the show, and showrunner Lori Gordon told Variety in an article published that same day that Garcia would not be returning for Season Five.
“The women just need a cooling off period, and I think it’s just too soon,” Gordon told the magazine following the explosive finale and Part Three of the reunion. “They’ve articulated it. It’s too soon for them to reenter into a friendship — a trusting friendship. Not enough time has passed.”
Shannon added that they would be “starting to film relatively soon, and I think that everyone needs a minute.” Production for the fifth season of the reality show will begin on Feb. 5, according to Variety.
Gordon, however, added that the door is not entirely closed for Garcia after Gay discovered that she was the one behind the Reality Von Tease Instagram troll account.
“Never say never,” Gordon said, with Shannon adding, “You never know.”
Season Four of “RHOSLC” ended with a finale that people called “one of the best housewives episodes” ever. While Gay revealed who was responsible for the black eye she got during Season Three, things took a turn when she confronted Garcia.
“Monica is not who she says she is,” Gay said, exposing Garcia as the one behind the troll account. “She’s not our friend. She’s someone that has schemed and worked to infiltrate our friend group. And the name that you all know her as, the woman whose birthday was celebrated, who we’ve been trying to champion and support and defend is Reality Von Tea(se).”
This was also when Gay also delivered the now-famous speech — or as Cohen previously called “iconic soliloquy” before Kevin Hart re-enacted it during a “WWHL” episode.
“I have your perfect formula,” Gay stated. “Receipts! Proof! Timeline! Screenshots! F------ everything!! To prove that you are a f------ bully and a f------ troll! And you do not deserve to be at this table.”
Garcia later confessed that she didn’t think the account was “bad,” confirming her involvement. However, she said that Reality Von Tease “was never just one person.”
Following the finale, Cohen told TODAY that producers did not know that Garcia was behind the account and that Gay would be confronting her about it.
During the “RHOSLC” Season Four reunions, Cohen attempted to get Garcia to explain herself with no avail. While talking to Variety about the reunion specials, he recalled asking Garcia if she had any more to say, “When I watch it now, I feel bad, because I think that that was her just kind of throwing in the towel. And I know that she left the reunion upset at herself.”