Jenna Lyons Reveals Why She Quit ‘RHONY’: ‘Felt Completely on the Outside’

Jenna Lyons is opening up about her decision to quit The Real Housewives of New York City. 

In November, the former creative director of J. Crew announced that she would not return for a third season of the Bravo star. Now, Lyons is sharing more details about her exit, explaining that she struggled to feel like she fit in with the other Housewives. 

Jenna Lyons ‘count not relate’ to her ‘RHONY’ castmates 

On Thursday, Lyons, 57, sat down with Talia Parkinson, host of The Happy Hour podcast on SiriusXM’s TODAY Show Radio channel, to talk about her experience on RHONY. 

“The first season I was the oldest person and I was also the only gay person,” Lyons said. “And I didn’t realize until the second season where they brought in another woman who was closer to my age and also gay, how alone I felt.

“It’s not that the women made me feel alone,” she added. “It was just, imagine every time you’re having a conversation about sex or dating or anything around relationships, I could not relate. I felt completely on the outside.”

Are more ‘Real Housewives of New York City’ cast exits coming?

Lyons is in her mid-50s, while her Bravo castmates were in their 30s and 40s. She felt the age gap in more than just discussions about relationships and romance. 

“My child is in college, their kids are all young,” she pointed out of her co-stars. “They’re having different issues. My career has happened and I’m in a different stage in my life. They’re all trying to hustle. And I actually am not in that place in my life.”

“I actually want to do meaningful, careful, thoughtful things that matter to me,” Lyons continued. “I’m just in a different place. And so I found that I didn’t have as much connection the first year. And then in the second year it was much easier, it got more fun.”

But just as Lyons was finding her groove, there was a RHONY cast shakeup. Brynn Whitfield has already confirmed she’s leaving the show after two seasons, as has friend of the cast Rebecca Minkoff. Other cast members may also be on their way out, Lyons hinted. 

“Then this year, three of the people are gone and the new people that are coming in, they’re much younger, totally different,” she explained. “And I’m like, I don’t think I’m going to feel great in this situation. I don’t need, I don’t want to do something that doesn’t make me happy. And I just was like, I don’t think I’m going to feel good and I don’t need to do it.”

The Real Housewives of New York City is streaming on Peacock.   

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