Bravo Announces New Series "The Real Housewives of New York City"

Bravo Announces New Series "The Real Housewives of New York City" 1/14/08

BRAVO'S HIT DOCU-SERIES "THE REAL HOUSEWIVES" HEADS TO THE BIG APPLE

"The Real Housewives Of New York City," Following the Busy Lives of New York Socialites, Premieres Tuesday, March 4 At 11 PM ET/PT

NEW YORK – January 14, 2008 – Building off the success of the original series "The Real Housewives of Orange County," Bravo is heading to the big apple for its newest installment, "The Real Housewives of New York City." The series will feature an elite and powerful set of New York socialites as they juggle their careers and home lives with busy calendars packed with charity fund-raising galas, the social whirl of the Hamptons, and interviews for elite private schools. These driven and ambitious women show everyone what it takes to make it in the upper echelon of society, where money and status are an essential way of life. "The Real Housewives of New York City" will premiere on Bravo on Tuesday, March 4 at 11 PM ET/PT and moves to its regular time period on Tuesday, March 11 at 10 PM ET/PT.

"This series will explore the personal and professional lives of five ambitious women who in the upper crust of New York," said Frances Berwick, EVP, Programming & Production, Bravo. "'The Real Housewives of Orange County' continues to thrive and this series will explore many of the same relatable issues – relationships, children, and work-life balance – while giving a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to make it in the privileged world of Manhattan society."

An up-close and personal look at a lifestyle where private chefs, Au Pairs, front row seats at Fashion Week and Hamptons estates are part of everyday life, "The Real Housewives of New York City" follows five glamorous Manhattan women as they balance motherhood, demanding careers and a fast-paced social calendar, and shows what life is like in the most exclusive areas of New York. The Real Housewives of New York City are:

· Alex McCord, an up-and-comer in New York society, is a high-powered career woman juggling two children, a husband, and a thriving social calendar. Her children take music, art, swimming and French classes, and their live in Au Pair only speaks French to them, in hopes the kids will soon be bi-lingual. In addition to her busy career and social life, Alex is a former actress and model, and currently a graphic designer within the visual merchandising world.

· Bethenny Frankel is a single socialite in her 30's with a burgeoning career as a natural foods chef, a wealthy Wall Street boyfriend with three children, and is a staple on the New York social scene. She is a celebrity chef who owns her own company, Bethenny Bakes, has a health column in Hamptons Magazine, is a TV spokesperson for Health Magazine and for Pepperidge Farms new line of healthy foods, and was a runner-up on "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart." Her main focus these days is settling down and starting a family.

· Jill Zarin is the quintessential New York woman. She is a regular on the Manhattan social circuit, as well as an accomplished businesswoman and a talented photographer. Jill is married to Bobby Zarin, a successful entrepreneur, and together they operate Zarin Fabrics and Home Furnishings. Jill is also involved in numerous charities and counts many celebrities among her friends. A permanent fixture in the Hamptons as well as Manhattan, Jill juggles her career with being a wife and a mother to her daughter Allyson and her stepchildren David (and wife Jill), Jennifer and Jonathan.

· LuAnn de Lesseps is a real-life Countess. Her husband, Alexandre Count de Lesseps, is a French aristocrat (of the Suez Canal dynasty). With LuAnn's Countess title comes a great sense of pride - the de Lesseps presented New York City with the Statue of Liberty. She uses her title to help with her various charities and is a socialite very much in demand, as well as a busy mom of two. The de Lesseps travel extensively around the world, with trips to exotic locales in Italy, Switzerland, France and Africa. She also teaches etiquette on morning television shows and has a local cable show on WVVH-TV in the Hamptons called "The Countess Report."

· Ramona Singer is a busy entrepreneur. She owns her own business, R.M.S. Fashions, a jewelry line, truefaithjewelry.com, a clothing line "True Faith," and is developing a skin care line as well. She and her husband Mario, a third generation jeweler, and their 13-year-old daughter Avery, live in a striking four-bedroom condo in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. They also have a beautiful second home in Southampton directly on the water. Ramona is an avid tennis player and loves to entertain and is constantly organizing dinner parties and social events.

"The Real Housewives of New York City" is produced by Ricochet Television Inc. Jennifer O'Connell and Nick Emmerson serve as executive producers with Lenid Rolov and Kirsty Robson as co-executive producers.

Source: Bravo Press Release