BRAVO'S 'REAL HOUSEWIVES' FRANCHISE RETURNS TO THE BIG APPLE

The Second Season Of "The Real Housewives Of New York City" Premieres Tuesday, February 17 At 11 PM ET/PT

NEW YORK � January 5, 2009 � The much anticipated hit series "The Real Housewives of New York City" returns to the Big Apple for a second season of drama with everyone's favorite Manhattan ladies. Premiering after the finale of "The Real Housewives of Orange County," on Tuesday, February 17 at 11 p.m. ET/PT, Alex, Bethenny, Jill, Luann and Ramona, along with new cast member Kelly Killoren Bensimon � continue to juggle their careers and home lives with busy calendars packed with charity fund-raising galas, the social whirl of the Hamptons and nights on the New York social scene. Following the premiere, the series will then move to its regular Tuesdays at 10 p.m. timeslot on February 24.

"Our viewers really warmed up to these characters and their daily dramas in the first season, and there's a real thirst to find out what they'll do next," said Frances Berwick, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Bravo Media. "The immense growth Bravo has seen with the success of the Atlanta and Orange County franchises only adds to the upward momentum this series will hopefully see."

An up-close and personal look at a lifestyle where front row seats at Fashion Week, ritzy nightlives and Hamptons estates are an everyday occurrence, "The Real Housewives of New York City" follows six glamorous women as they balance motherhood, demanding careers and a fast-paced social calendar in the most exclusive areas of New York. The Real Housewives of New York City are:

� Alex McCord is a busy Manhattan career woman working at a fortune 500 retailing company in the visual merchandising world. Always on-the-go, she juggles being a mother to her two children, Francois and Johan, a wife to her devoted husband and constant sidekick Simon van Kempen, and a thriving social calendar. After an event-filled and somewhat drama-filled excursion to the Hamptons for the summer, as well as their annual trip to St. Bart's, the van Kempens return to the city and their active social life as one of the recognizable faces on the New York City scene. With both their boys in school, Alex and Simon begin a major home renovation project; stage two of what will help them complete their dream Brooklyn home.

� Bethenny Frankel is on the fast track and has firmly cemented herself as a "woman about town." Newly single, Bethenny is taking the Hamptons and Manhattan by storm, attending numerous social and charity events while managing both her burgeoning career as a natural foods chef and her line of baked goods, Bethenny Bakes. Somewhere in her busy schedule she found time to write a book on healthy living � "Naturally Thin: Unleash Your Skinnygirl & Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting" � that will come out in March, and a line of "SkinnyGirl" cocktails, out in May. Bethenny is also hot on the dating scene looking for "Mr. Right."

� Jill Zarin is still one of the busiest Housewives around, juggling a jam packed social calendar full of charity events and galas, preparing Allyson for college, and helping her husband Bobby run their fast-growing business Zarin Fabrics. When Ally heads to France to study for the summer, Jill is left with empty-nest syndrome and quickly immerses herself working for the "Help for Oprhans" charity and being the consummate hostess in their Hamptons home. After a somewhat drama-filled summer, she returns to Manhattan and wastes no time gathering all the other Housewives to help her friend Christina with a major charity event, "People Reaching Out," as well as a complete re-design of her entire Upper East Side apartment.

� Kelly Killoren Bensimon, the newest Housewife, is known as one of New York City's major tastemakers. Mother of two daughters, Killoren Bensimon is a model, equestrian, author, editor and designer. She recently created a line of costume jewelry and a collaboration of sweaters that were sold in major department stores nationwide. The former Editor of Elle Accessories, an ambassador for Wool Corp., she is also the face of Saks Fifth Avenue's "Wear" Campaign for spring 2009. In addition to her own reality show on Plum TV called "Behind the Hedges," she is a columnist for New York Post's Page Six Magazine. She has also published three books � "The Bikini Book," "American Style," and "In The Spirit of the Hamptons" � and donates a portion of her book proceeds to the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Killoren Bensimon splits her time between New York City and East Hampton.

� LuAnn de Lesseps, everyone's favorite Countess, spent an eventful summer in the Hamptons with her family. With live-in housekeeper Rosie out of the country for the summer, LuAnn balanced running a household with her two active children and still found time to participate in her active social life, where she attended numerous social events and was honored for her charity work at a major Hamptons affair. With daughter Victoria headed off to boarding school, LuAnn uses her free time to pursue being a writer, sharing with us her vast knowledge of manners from her experience as a Countess to ink a book deal on manners and etiquette, called "Class With The Countess," which will be out in April.

� Ramona Singer continues to be focused on her career running her business R.M.S. Fashions, as well as her successful line of jewelry, "True Faith." Always the entrepreneur, her newest business ventures including developing an anti-aging skin care line � Tru Renewal � and also a line of estate-like jewelry that will be sold on HSN in March and April. After traveling across the country for the summer with her tennis player husband Mario, who competed on the USTA circuit, Ramona has settled back into her busy Manhattan life packed with social obligations and running after 13-year-old daughter Avery, who is growing up right before her eyes. Always the fiery one, life with Ramona is never dull, as she continues to keep everyone in check with her "tell it like it is attitude."

"The Real Housewives of New York City" is produced by Ricochet Television Inc. Jennifer O'Connell, Nick Emmerson and Matthew Anderson serve as executive producers.

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