Bethenny Frankel Reveals Reason She Left 'RHONY,' 'Excuse' She Used For Her Departure

Bethenny Frankel is setting the record straight on her exit from "The Real Housewives of New York City" in 2019.

In a TikTok video, the 51-year-old reality star shut down rumors claiming that she left the Bravo series after season 11 because of salary disputes and revealed the real reason behind her departure.

"People thought I left the 'Housewives' because of money," Frankel explained. "If I stayed, it would have been because of the money. I left because I wanted to leave. I was ready to leave, and I used a technicality deal point as my excuse."

"I had just lost someone very close to me, and I went to work when the show came back. I didn't want to. Pros play hurt. I'm a professional. I show up on time, I deliver. That's my reputation in business," she added.

At the time, Frankel claimed she noticed a "new point" in the Housewives' contracts which made it so they allegedly "won't be paid" if they didn't appear in an episode for one reason or another.

According to the reality star, the term was added after Housewives in other series refused to film because of conflicts or drama with co-stars. "They decided not to film, so it affects the quality of the show," she explained.

However, the Skinnygirl founder claimed that the rule didn't apply to her.

"The production company said, 'We’d never air an episode without you.’ They told me that directly, I have receipts," she claimed. "I already knew that I'm a professional and there would just be no situation where I wouldn't show up for work."

Frankel said she used this as an "excuse" to leave "RHONY," as she had been debating exiting the show following the loss of her ex-fiancé, Dennis Shields, in 2018.

"The little, tiny, minute detail that would have never come to pass," she said. "It was the impetus. That was the catalyst that just said, 'Boom. Not going back.'"

Frankel joined "RHONY" when the series launched in 2008 but left in 2011 after filming three seasons. A few years later, she rejoined for Season 7 in 2015 and left after Season 11 in 2019. At the time, there were speculations that her exit had something to do with contract negotiations and that she and the network couldn't reach a deal.

When she announced her exit from the franchise, Frankel, who shares 12-year-old daughter Bryn with ex-husband Jason Hoppy, said in a statement that she was ready to explore her "next chapter."

Frankel later said on Paris Hilton's "This Is Paris" podcast in April 2021: "I left because it became not who I really was anymore, and you can't do something out of fear."