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Andy Cohen addresses ‘Vanderpump Rules’ production pause ahead of Season 12



Andy Cohen thinks the “Vanderpump Rules” pause is for the better.

During Wednesday’s episode of SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live, John Hill asked the Bravo head honcho what he thought about the reports that “Pump Rules” cameras won’t be filming this summer like usual.

“We used to do this all the time with the ‘Housewives,’” Cohen — who is not a producer on “Pump Rules” — explained. “We would say, ‘You know what, let’s put cameras down for four or five months and come back to them.’”

“And they will have lived life and things will be different,” he added.

Andy Cohen thinks it’s “a very good idea” to pause filming “Vanderpump Rules” for the summer. Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock for AWNewYork

He noted that sometimes it’s best for people to “live their lives and see how things develop.” Nicole Weingart/Bravo

An insider told Page Six Tuesday that showrunners agreed the cast needed “a moment to decompress after two very rough, intense seasons” in the wake of Scandoval.

Despite typically filming in the summers, cameras picked back up in March 2023 after Tom Sandoval’s affair with Raquel Leviss became public knowledge, resulting in additional filming for the cast.

While some of the drama played out at the end of Season 10, it also consumed most of Season 11 — which is currently airing.

Although Cohen works for Bravo, he is not a producer on “Pump Rules.” Nicole Weingart/Bravo

Cohen explained that Season 11 was filmed right after Season 10 wrapped up, giving the cast very little time off. Getty Images

Although some fans have grown tired of the storyline, Cohen reminded viewers that the last two seasons were filmed back to back, giving the cast nearly no time off.

“I think that, you know, I was talking to Ariana [Madix] about this on the after-show last night,” Cohen said.

“I was saying, people do forget, especially as it relates to Ariana — who was the one cheated on — people forget that we picked up cameras like three months after she found out about that affair,” he explained. “So that’s why she’s still in the violently angry stage and you can understand that.”

Due to their past filming schedule, Cohen thinks it’s “great” that producers decided to give the cast a break.

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“I was saying, people do forget, especially as it relates to Ariana — who was the one cheated on — people forget that we picked up cameras like three months after she found out about that affair,” he explained. Nicole Weingart/Bravo

It’s unclear when filming will resume. Nicole Weingart/Bravo

“Look, sometimes you want to pick cameras right up quickly because there is stuff happening and you want to get in there right away and sometimes you do want people to live their lives and see how things develop.”

“So I think its a very good idea,” he concluded.

For more Page Six you love…

While none of the “Pump Rules” stars have addressed the temporary hiatus, our source told us that everyone was “looking forward” to getting a bit of time off.

“Producers are excited to catch up with everyone when cameras eventually go back up,” the insider added.

An insider told Page Six Tuesday that the network decided the cast needed “a moment to decompress after two very rough, intense seasons.” Casey Durkin/Bravo

Producers are hoping the break will also bring about some new storylines. Casey Durkin/Bravo

However, not everyone will be spending their time out of the spotlight.

It was announced in March that Madix was taking over for Sarah Hyland as the host of “Love Island USA,” which reportedly begins filming in Fiji this summer.

Lisa Vanderpump may also be busy filming the second season of “Vanderpump Villa,” which films in the next couple of months.

New episodes of “Vanderpump Rules” Season 11 airs every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.

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