What is Southern Charm without OG star Kathryn Dennis? Fans are going to find out firsthand when season 9 returns later this year.
The Bravo series, which is set in Charleston, South Carolina, has seen a lot of casting changes since its 2013 premiere. However, the biggest shake up might come during season 9 as Kathryn announced in January 2023 that she will no longer be a part of the cast.
“What a wild ride it’s been! Can you believe I was 21 when I first started filming Southern Charm, back in its first season?” the model told People in a statement at the time. “That was in 2013, and in the decade that followed, it’s safe to say my life changed in ways I could never imagine.”
The mother of two — who shares daughter Kensie and son Saint with ex Thomas Ravenel — added: “It hasn’t always been easy, but I’m so lucky to have had reality cameras there, capturing so many moments that I’ll never forget (and a few, even, that I’d like to).”
The season 8 cast, which consisted of Shep Rose, Craig Conover, Madison LeCroy, Austen Kroll, Naomie Olindo, Leva Bonaparte, Venita Aspen, Taylor Ann Green and Olivia Flowers, are already feeling the change in the air.
“I’m not happy about it, honestly. I think a lot of us are really sad. I’m not really convinced. I mean, do we have a show without her?” Madison confessed during an Amazon Live! broadcast in January 2023. “No, maybe she’ll come around the corner and surprise us all. I mean, I don’t know.”
The Greenville, South Carolina, native noted: “She was my buddy, so I am not thrilled about it, but like I said, I don’t know. We’re in the very early stages of all this, so who’s to say she won’t come back.”
Season 9, however, will still have plenty of drama without Kathryn at the helm. The fallout from season 8’s splits — Taylor and Shep broke up in July 2022 and Austen and Olivia parted ways that fall — still have fans talking.
“I had drinks with Taylor and Olivia and I think that ship has sailed for her and Olivia in terms of the men of Southern Charm,” Leva exclusively told Us Weekly in November 2022, adding that both ladies are “done” with their respective exes.
The Southern Hospitality star added that while she thinks the women have moved on, Austen was “very into” Olivia all of last season.
“Olivia and I, before we started filming Southern Charm [season 8], we had a dual birthday [party] — cuz our birthdays are a few days apart — at Bourbon N’ Bubbles,” Leva recalled. “And he was just like, ‘Who’s that girl? I’m gonna marry her.’”
The Kings Calling Brewing Co. founder, for his part, exclusively told Us in October 2022, “I would never say never with that one” when asked about his former flame.
Scroll down for everything we know so far about season 9 of Southern Charm: