It’s a new era on The Real Housewives of New York City Season 16, but for a city so big, the connections amongst the cast, both new and old, make it feel much smaller.
How to Watch
The Real Housewives of New York City Season 16 premieres Tuesday, September 8 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo. Episodes stream next day on Peacock.
While Erin Lichy, Jessel Taank, and Sai De Silva have known each other for years, it turns out they’re also familiar with others in the cast, including returning ‘Wife Carole Radziwill and new additions Hailey Glassman, Erika Hammond, and Daisy Toye.
Keep reading to find out all the off-camera history amongst the RHONY Season 16 ‘Wives.
How Carole Radziwill is connected to the RHONY Season 16 cast
Carole is making her return to Bravo after departing following RHONY Season 10. Despite never having filmed with any of the Season 16 cast before, Carole still knew of many of the ‘Wives off-camera, including Sai, who she met at a beauty industry dinner, as well as Erin and her husband, Abe Lichy. Regarding the latter, Carole chatted with Bravo Insider ahead of RHONY Season 16, and revealed that Erin and her family live just three blocks away from her in Manhattan. They initially met after running into each other at a Mexican restaurant.
As for newcomer Erika, she told Bravo Insider, “Carole and I have known each other for maybe half a year now. We met through mutual friends.”
RELATED: Carole Radziwill Explains Why Filming RHONY Season 16 Felt Different Than Her Earlier Seasons
Carole also has mutual friends with another new Housewife, Daisy. Carole admitted that even before she’d signed on for Season 16, her longtime friend asked her to give Daisy advice on what to expect. By the time the two connected through text message, Carole had also agreed to join Season 16, and the two decided to meet on camera.
“I love Daisy,” Carole shared with Bravo Insider.
How Jessel Taank is connected to the RHONY Season 16 cast
In addition to her relationships with her RHONY Season 14 and 15 castmates Sai and Erin, Jessel has a good friend joining her for Season 16: Erika. “We met at a dinner a couple of years ago, actually,” Jessel told Bravo Insider. “She just kind of walks in and tells her husband, ‘I know you don’t like this outfit, but I’m wearing this outfit.’ I was like, ‘I love her.’ She’s really fun, funny, self-deprecating — doesn’t really care about what people think of her — and I just love that energy. She’s very carefree.”
Erika added that she and Jessel met through her husband, Ankur Jain, and have now been friends for two and a half years. “I’m very close with her. She’s like a big sister to me,” she said.
How Sai De Silva is connected to the RHONY Season 16 cast
Although Sai has a long history with her RHONY Season 14 and 15 castmates Jessel and Erin, she’ll be joined by a longtime ally on Season 16: Daisy. Sai and newcomer Daisy have a long and storied friendship that dates back more than two decades.
Sai shared with Bravo Insider that the two first met while working at the Upper East Side strip Club, Scores, as Sai worked as a bartender and Daisy worked as a waitress.
“Because our friendship is so long, it’s very easy,” Sai added.
How Daisy Toye and Erika Hammond are connected to the RHONY Season 16 cast
While Daisy has a years-long connection to Sai, and Jessel and Erika are friends, it turns out Daisy and Erika also had a relationship that predates filming for RHONY Season 16. The two are bonded by a celebrity friend in common: Martha Stewart. Daisy is a makeup artist who’s worked with Martha for 17 years, she shared with Bravo Insider, and Martha is also friends with Erika’s husband, Ankur.
RELATED: Who Is Erika Hammond’s Husband? Meet Tech Entrepreneur, Ankur Jain
“I was actually supposed to go to Erika’s wedding in Egypt with Martha,” Daisy added of their relationship.
How Hailey Glassman is connected to the RHONY Season 16 cast
Hailey is a self-proclaimed “lone wolf” among the RHONY Season 16 cast. As she told Bravo Insider, “I came in knowing no one…But then I got to know the women. I formed a really nice relationship with many of them.”
Erin Lichy, Jessel Taank and Sai De Silva’s history on RHONY Seasons 14 and 15
With two seasons under their belts, Erin, Jessel and Sai have developed complicated friendships ahead of RHONY Season 16.
Jessel has often been at odds with Sai and Erin, particularly after they made comments about her marriage and her sex life with her husband, Pavit Randhawa, during Season 14. While Jessel’s relationship with Sai has improved going into Season 16, Jessel admitted to Bravo Insider she’s not in the best place with Erin.
“Sai and I are very close and in a really good place, which is something that happened gradually last summer,” Jessel revealed. “Erin and I have always had a little bit of tension. Our friendship has always been a little bit up and down. Right now, we’re sort of in a down phase, but nothing that a conversation can’t [fix].”
While Erin and Sai have also had ups and downs, Sai believes the relationships amongst the three veterans are on more solid ground going into Season 16.
“Now it’s like a whole different ballgame, and it feels better,” Sai said. “We understand the assignment now. We get it. But we’re great. We fight with a conflict resolution vibe, and it’s like a sisterhood. I love them both very much.”
ICYMI, check out the RHONY Season 16 trailer ahead of the premiere, as Carole addresses shocking rumors about herself head-on.
—Reporting by Stephanie Gomulka
