Monica Garcia won't be back on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City for the upcoming fifth season, as reported by PEOPLE. Despite making a strong debut on the Bravo series in season 4, the 40-year-old won't be rejoining her costars Heather Gay, Meredith Marks, Lisa Barlow, Whitney Rose, and Angie Katsanevas when filming resumes next month, according to multiple sources.
Real Housewives of Salt Lake City: Monica Garcia exits show post her debut
Executive producers confirmed the news in an interview with Variety, stating that the cast needed time to regroup. Andy Cohen, later on Watch What Happens Live, hinted that Garcia's exit might be considered "a break." Garcia has not commented on her departure and did not respond to PEOPLE's inquiry.
As the first Latina to join the cast and a mother of four, Monica Garcia received widespread praise for bringing fresh energy to RHOSLC. Bravo superfan Jennifer Lawrence even mentioned at the Golden Globes that the women's performances were Oscar-worthy and The Los Angeles Times recently commended Garcia for making the reality series "unhinged, unmissable TV."
Garcia's exit news came just before the airing of the final part of the RHOSLC reunion, where she is expected to confront revelations about her involvement with RealityVonTease, an Instagram troll account posting negative things about the RHOSLC stars. Garcia admitted to posting on the account but claimed she wasn't the sole operator.
Despite Garcia insisting she only targeted Jen Shah, who is serving a prison sentence for a telemarketing scheme, her costars, especially Heather Gay, were deeply affected by her lies. The reunion episodes have been intense, with Garcia defending herself against accusations about her past behavior.
Will Monica Garcia return to RHOSLC?
Producers have been discussing the possibility of Garcia returning to the show, acknowledging the complexity of the situation. While they recognize Garcia's appeal to the audience, they also note the challenges posed by the deception and strained relationships among the cast. Heather Gay, however, has made it clear that she won't film with Garcia again, emphasizing a definitive stance on the matter, per Variety.
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City reunion concludes on Bravo, and all episodes are available on Peacock.
