Bravo Expands ‘Housewives’ Franchise

Bravo will expand its popular The Real Housewives franchise by adding two more series to premiere next year.

The network will launch The Real Housewives of Potomac (Md., a Washington, D.C., suburb) on Jan. 17 and later in 2016 will premiere The Real Housewives of Dallas, according to network officials.

The Real Housewives of Potomac is produced by True Entertainment with Steven Weinstock, Glenda Hersh, Lauren Eskelin, Lorraine Haughton-Lawson, Bianca Barnes-Williams and Ashley McFarlin Buie serving as Executive Producers, while The Real Housewives of Dallas is produced by Goodbye Pictures with Rich Bye and Andrew Hoegl serving as Executive Producers. Andy Cohen also serves as an Executive Producer for both series, according to Bravo.

The new shows join Atlanta, New York, Orange County, New Jersey, Miami, Washington D.C. and Beverly Hills under The Real Housewives franchise umbrella.

The Real Housewives has become a global phenomenon that drives cultural conversation while consistently breaking ratings records,” said Shari Levine, Executive Vice President, Current Production, Bravo Media. “We're happy to extend the franchise with Potomac and Dallas giving Bravo fans more of what they desire: stories of dynamic women who make us laugh, cry, cheer and experience unforgettable moments we can’t stop talking about.”

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.