Season five of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City premieres on Wednesday, Sept. 18. RHOSLC has been full of controversy and drama since it debuted in 2020, in large part the result of veteran cast member Jen Shah’s prison sentence in early 2023. Jen left the show after Season 3, at which point fans may have thought RHOSLC was destined to be boring.
Season 4 cast member Monica Garcia brought a new round of controversy. Revelations about Monica and her involvement with RealityVonTease, an Instagram account known for trashing the RHOSLC cast, left viewers and fellow cast members speechless. Monica will not return for Season 5 of RHOSLC, but her influence will likely remain strong.
The new season of RHOSLC will feature Lisa Barlow, Heather Gay, Meredith Marks, and Whitney Rose—all Housewives who’ve remained on the show since the beginning. Mary Cosby from the first two seasons is also returning to the main cast, as is Season 4 veteran Angie Katsanevas. Bronwyn Newport is the lone new face in RHOSLC Season 5.
7. Lisa Barlow
Via Instagram
A native of New York, Lisa Barlow converted to Mormonism as a child with her family. After attending Brigham Young University, Lisa now runs her marketing company, LUXE, while she and her husband, John, founded VIDA tequila. The mother of two also has a business with her sons, Jack and Henry.
Barlow describes herself as “Mormon 2.0” and, in 2020, she explained to Andy Cohen that it involved aspects of orthodox Mormonism mixed with her lifestyle, especially her connection to alcohol. Lisa’s castmates have scrutinized her beliefs, notably when Lisa’s son, Jack, focused more on traditional tenets of the Mormon faith.
Lisa and fellow housewife Heather Gay met at BYU and her close friendship with Meredith Marks has been a focal point of the show. During Season 4, Lisa was at odds with Monica Garcia when the revelations about Monica’s connection to the RealityVonTease Instagram account came to light.
Cast members from Real Housewives come and go, but these Housewives have been on their shows since the beginning.
6. Heather Gay
via Bravo TV
Heather Gay co-owns Beauty Lab + Laser in Utah while raising her three daughters and navigating life as a divorcee in the Mormon church. Heather published a New York Times bestselling memoir called Bad Mormon in 2023, the success of which was a large focal point for the housewife and her family during Season 4 of RHOSLC.
In February 2024, revelations that Heather used Ozempic to lose weight came under scrutiny due to her purported focus on body positivity. Heather responded to ABC News’ Deborah Roberts to the accusations that she was a “copout.”
“It’s disappointing [and] sad to know that body positivity was all a big lie… because it’s better to not be overweight.”
5. Meredith Marks
Via: Instagram/@meredithmarks
Chicago native Meredith Marks is a jewelry designer with a brand of luxury items, including caviar. In addition to her entrepreneurship, Meredith dedicates herself to numerous charitable causes.
After Meredith and her husband, Seth, experienced difficulty in their marriage during Season 1 of RHOSLC, the couple reconciled and maintained a strong relationship throughout the show. Often at odds with Lisa Barlow and Whitney Rose, Meredith has been accused of gossiping about her fellow cast members on numerous occasions.
Meredith talked about her “weird” medical condition on Page Six’s Virtual Reali-Tea podcast in early September 2024 to explain that she had a third breast-reduction surgery. She previewed that the subject would be part of the first episode of RHOSLC Season 5, noting that her castmates got a good chuckle over the fact that Meredith’s breasts continue to grow.
4. Whitney Rose
via: Bravo
Whitney Rose, who’s cousins with co-star Heather Gay, left Mormonism after an extramarital affair with her boss, Justin, and an unexpected pregnancy ended her first marriage. Now married, Whitney and Justin have two children, Bobbi and Brooks.
Whitney has a line of skincare products called Iris and Beau, assists her father as he navigates health issues, and launched a jewelry line during Season 4. In addition to tension with her cousin, Heather, Whitney has also struggled to maintain a friendship with Meredith.
3. Mary Cosby
Via Bravo
RHOSLC alum Mary Cosby returns to Season 5 as a full-time cast member. Mary’s initial exit from the show may have been related to her marriage to Robert Cosby Sr., her step-grandfather. Mary and Robert Sr. have a son, Robert Jr., whose new wife reportedly moved in with the family at some point during or after Season 4.
Mary’s return will likely reveal the cause of her broken friendship with Meredith Marks. Meredith told Extra in anticipation of Season 5 that she doesn’t “understand” what caused the feud between her and Mary:
“I don’t really know what the problem is there, which is a bit unsettling to me, because, usually when there’s a problem, I like to understand what it is… And usually when someone starts coming at me, there should be a reason for it, especially when I’ve been there for them for years when nobody else would be.”
2. Angie Katsanevas
Via Instagram
Promoted from “friend of” to main cast member between Seasons 3 and 4, Angie Katsanevas and her husband, hairdresser Shawn Trujillo, run Lunatic Fringe Salons in Utha, Ohio, and Idaho. Angie and Shawn share one daughter, Elektra, who excels as an equestrian.
Angie and Shawn’s marriage is often talked about, with rumors circulating about the couple’s stability. During Season 4, revelations that the couple had not been on a date in years prompted speculation that their relationship was in trouble. Angie insists that she and Shawn spend their time focusing on Elektra. Angie said at the Season 4 reunion, “This never came up ’til this rat came out of the sewer.”
The “rat” in question was Monica Garcia.
The ripple effects of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Monica Garcia’s big reveal as Instagrammer Reality Von Tease are still being felt.
1. Bronwyn Newport
via: Bravo
Newcomer Bronwyn Newport was enlisted to the RHOSLC by veteran cast member Lisa Barlow. After Bronwyn got pregnant as a student at BYU, she was excommunicated by the Mormon church. She raised her daughter, Gwen, on her own until meeting Todd, her current husband.
Bronwyn’s website describes her as a “successful Broadway producer and influential fashion blogger.” As a socialite known for her taste and style, Bronwyn also participates in charitable activities and serves on multiple boards in Salt Lake City.
In addition to the main cast, RHOSLC will include friends Meili Workman, a model and mother of four, and Britani Bateman, a Utah native who works in real estate.
Season 5 of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City will premiere at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Wednesday, Sept. 18 on Bravo. Episodes stream the following day on Peacock.