''Vanderpump Rules,'' the Emmy-nominated Bravo reality show that launched countless memes, merch, podcasts, endorsement deals and scandals, is recasting its 12th season — apart from its namesake, Lisa Vanderpump.
Bravo said in a press release Tuesday that the upcoming season would feature ''a new group of close-knit SUR-vers who are as complicatedly involved with one another as their iconic predecessors.''
The series debuted in 2013 as a spinoff to ''The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,'' executive produced and starring Vanderpump, a restaurateur. It focused on the personal lives of select staff at her West Hollywood restaurant, SUR, with Vanderpump in the role of both boss and maternal figure.
With in-fighting, cheating scandals, changing alliances and non-stop drama, the cast seemed destined to be followed by reality TV cameras.
''They're 20-something and they're young and they're hot,'' said Vanderpump of the cast in an interview ahead of the series premiere. ''They want to play and they're waiting for their dream and unfortunately their dream isn't really to work at my restaurant.''
Bravo did not elaborate on its decision to cast a new group, but said the cast would be announced later and the new season would go into production next year.
''I can't thank enough those who have shared their lives. How I love you all,'' Vanderpump said in the statement. ''In the restaurant business, one shift always gives way to another.''
As the original cast became more famous, they stopped working at SUR and launched their own ventures (and podcasts): Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval opened a restaurant and bar called TomTom with Vanderpump as a majority owner. The Toms, as they're known, branched off with different owners for a second bar called Schwartz & Sandy's — on Monday, they announced that venture would be closing its doors.