Shivangi Sinha
Jenna Lyons quickly became a fan favorite on Bravo’s ‘The Real Housewives of New York City’ when she joined the all-new cast in season 14. In the beginning, she chose to keep much of her personal life private and was more of a domineering yet kind cast member than a flashy one. She had a personal style and a fashion sense that stunned everyone whenever she walked into a room, and it quickly became one of the things that everyone looked forward to. Jenna carried her time on the show through two seasons, but just before season 16 premiered, she disclosed that she would no longer be a part of the franchise.
Jenna Lyons Had a Confrontation With Her Former Cast Member at the RHONY Reunion
Jenna Lyons was introduced as the former President and Creative Director of J.Crew in season 14. Owing to her professional success, she was always confident and drew clear boundaries about her time in front of the camera. She was also the oldest cast member and the only openly gay person on the cast. In the first season that she participated in, she made it clear that she wanted to keep her personal life private. Whenever she alluded to her romantic life, she chose not to disclose names or provide too many details. In the same season, Jenna also hosted a famously raunchy icebreaker game at her SoHo home, which became one of the most memorable moments.
In Season 15, Jenna introduced her girlfriend, Cass Bird, as they moved in together and blended their families. While talking to her castmate Erin Lichy, Jenna opened up about an abortion she had when she was 21 years old. She said that it was the first time she was speaking about it and that many people in her family also did not know about it. During the clash between Brynn Whitfield and Ubah Hassan, Jenna was on Ubah’s side and confronted Brynn at the reunion as well. In November 2025, Jenna took to her social media and confirmed that the rumors of her not returning for season 16 were true.
Jenna Lyons Shared That There Were No Bad Feelings Involved in Her Decision to Leave
In November 2025, Jenna Lyons shared that she was not ready to share more of her personal life in front of the camera. She had been offered the chance to return in the capacity of a “friend of” for the season, but she ultimately turned it down. She said that while the arrangement made sense to her in the beginning, she eventually changed her mind. She also explained that if she returned, she would be the oldest and the only openly gay cast member, and she felt that it was time for her to give way to “a new dynamic to emerge.” She thanked her production team and all her co-stars for a memorable run, indicating that there were no bad feelings lingering for her.
In January 2026, Jenna appeared on a SiriusXM radio interview and gave more insight into her decision. She said that due to her identity, she had felt a little isolated, but she only realized it while she was filming season 15. She explained that her feelings had nothing to do with the actions of other cast members, but were more circumstantial. They became more evident when Racquel Chevremont, who is closer to her age, also joined as a cast member. Jenna added that three of the cast members who had started with her had left, while the new cast members were much younger than her. She said that it was not a situation in which she would feel most comfortable. So, it seems like a combination of her desire for privacy and her feelings of alienation contributed to her decision.
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