When Erika Hammond joined The Real Housewives of New York City as one of the new cast members on Season 16, she had the entirely wrong impression of how filming would go.
How to Watch
The Real Housewives of New York City airs on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo. Episodes stream next day on Peacock.
“I thought it would be easier,” Erika admitted in an exclusive interview with Bravo Insider. “It’s a lot of work. After the cast trip, I was like, ‘I need like three days to decompress. No one talk to me. I just want to rot.’ It’s fun, but it’s a lot. It’s definitely a job. You don’t realize how tough it is until you’re in it.”
After immediately getting caught in the middle of some castmate drama in the RHONY Season 16 premiere, the native of Waco, Texas formally introduced herself to viewers during Episode 2 when fellow newbies Hailey Glassman and Daisy Toye took one of the group fitness classes that Erika created.
Read on for everything to know about Erika’s life, career, billionaire husband, and more, as she begins her RHONY journey.
Who is Erika Hammond?
Erika is a new RHONY cast member and fitness entrepreneur who “has built a life surrounded by extraordinary luxury complete with her own private island, where she whisks the women away for a one-of-a-kind getaway,” according to her Season 16 bio. “Despite all there is to be grateful for, not everything is as perfect as it seems for Erika as she opens up about her fertility struggles, making it clear there are some things money can’t buy.”
What does Erika Hammond do for work?
Erika is a fitness entrepreneur, former WWE Diva, and founder and CEO of the P.S. Active clothing line. She played a pivotal role in the creation of Rumble Boxing.
“I started off boxing when I was 14, [and] fell in love with it,” Erika explained in a RHONY Episode 2 confessional. “Most people don’t know this about me, but I was in the WWE for two years. I was suplexing bitches for a living. Veronica Lane was out there kicking ass, taking names.”
She added, “After I left WWE [in 2016], I moved to New York, and I helped develop the program for Rumble Boxing. And then, I partnered with Equinox to launch a program for them called KNOCKOUT, so, [I’m] still throwing some punches.”
RELATED: What Does the Cast of RHONY Season 16 Do for a Living? Career & Job Details
Who is Erika Hammond’s husband?
Erika’s husband is Ankur Jain, the billionaire founder and CEO of Bilt Rewards and former Chief Product Officer at Tinder. After meeting during a fitness class that Erika was teaching in New York City, the couple got engaged in 2022 and were married in April 2024 in a lavish ceremony near the Egyptian Pyramids.
Does Erika Hammond have any children with Ankur Jain?
No. “We don’t have any kids yet,” Erika shared with Bravo Insider. “But as you’ll see on the show, we’re working on it. We’re working on building our family, and we’re super excited about that.”
How is Erika Hammond connected to her RHONY castmates?
Prior to joining RHONY, Erika already knew Daisy, Jessel Taank, Erin Lichy, and Carole Radziwill. During the show’s Sept. 15 episode, she described her husband’s “good friend and business partner,” Martha Stewart, as the “connector” who had brought them all together at various events in recent years.
“Jessel and I have been friends for two-and-a-half years, and we originally met through my husband,” Erika told Bravo Insider. “I’m very close with her. She’s like a big sister to me.”
In a separate interview, Jessel, for her part, described Erika as one of her “best friends,” while also recounting the evening Ankur introduced them at a dinner.
RELATED: How Does the RHONY Season 16 Cast Know Each Other?
“I was sitting next to Martha Stewart, and 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,'” Jessel recalled. “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.”
After an Episode 2 coffee date in Carole’s “office” (i.e. car), Erika also declared her “love” for the returning RHONY vet, telling a producer, “Carole is the ultimate New Yorker. She doesn’t give a f–k about anything. Like, I’m like, ‘You’re just cool. I want to be like you when I’m older.'”
As Erika settles in with her new castmates, don’t miss details on how to watch and stream RHONY Season 16, so you’re sure to see all the action.
