Luann de Lesseps Says Leah McSweeney Stepped Up On ‘RHONY’ Season 12 After Bethenny Frankel Quit

Luann de Lesseps loves the way Leah McSweeney stepped up to the plate after being added to the Real Housewives of New York City last summer for production on Season 12.

During an interview with People TV‘s Daryn Carp from her home in New York, where she’s been quarantined for the past several weeks, de Lesseps said she suspected that viewers of the Bravo reality series would love McSweeney because she is a mother and a business owner. She also described her as “vulnerable.”

“She’s vulnerable and I think people are going to love her for that. I liked her immediately so I’m excited to have her on the cast,” de Lesseps told the host, via YouTube.

According to de Lesseps, she believes that the 12th season of The Real Housewives of New York City is the one of their best seasons because she and her co-stars, including Ramona Singer, Sonja Morgan, Dorinda Medley, and Tinsley Mortimer, have long-standing friendships with one another.

“And I feel like the newbie Leah has really stepped up to the plate,” she added.

Throughout the upcoming episodes of the show, de Lesseps said she and her co-stars would be seen going on a number of fun trips, including a visit to the Berkshires and another to Mexico, and noted that they always have drama. That said, she believes the drama between her and the rest of the cast is much lighter than it has been in the past because Bethenny Frankel is no longer included in their group.

“Not having such a force to be reckoned with lightens it up and I feel like the women feel that difference and they feel that there’s breathing room. And I think that’s going to show,” she explained.

Frankel quit her role on The Real Housewives of New York City in August of last year to focus on other things.

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As The Inquisitr previously reported, McSweeney had equally good things to say about de Lesseps during an interview with Us Weekly magazine earlier this month. As fans may have seen, the newest addition to the Real Housewives of New York City cast told the outlet, according to a clip shared on YouTube, that she was surprised that she hit it off so well with de Lesseps.

“I adore Luann. She’s just got that Euro, kind of chill vibe about her,” McSweeney explained. “We vibe in a very deep way.”