Bravo and Peacock executive Noah Samton apparently believes Summer House owes its success to Ciara Miller and that the show wouldn't really work without her.
ADVERTISEMENT
Noah, the senior vice president of Bravo and Peacock unscripted, explained how important Ciara is for the continuation of Summer House during a recent interview with Variety.
"I told Ciara a few months ago that I think she's the future of Summer House," Noah shared.
"She has a voice that we love on Summer House, she has the connections with the rest of the group -- with Mia and KJ, and she's tight with Kyle. She feels like she has become the center of the show."
He added, "And that's a story I want to continue telling."
ADVERTISEMENT
Season 10 of Summer House wrapped its three-part reunion earlier this month on Bravo, and Season 11 is reportedly scheduled to begin filming in the Hamptons in July.
As cast discussions are underway, multiple sources told TMZ and People that West Wilson has been dumped from the Season 11 cast.
Ciara -- who dated West on Season 8 of Summer House before their December 2023 split -- has yet to confirm whether she'll be returning.
West's alleged departure from Summer House comes amid scrutiny over his new relationship with his co-star Amanda Batula, who used to be good friends with Ciara. (Amanda also just announced her separation from estranged husband Kyle Cooke in January after four years of marriage.)
A source recently told Us Weekly that Ciara, for her part, "hasn't made a final decision" about her future on Summer House.
ADVERTISEMENT
However, the source said she is "leaning towards" coming back "for one more season."
Noah acknowledged it's tricky casting for Summer House's next season because the show is "unique in the Bravoverse."
He explained, "If you have two Housewives who hate each other, and can't get along, they can shoot a scene, and at the end of the day go home to their own house."
"On Summer House, they actually live together," he continued, "So if people have a real issue with each other, you can't live together in a house. And we wouldn't do that to the cast."
West and Amanda confirmed their romance in late March, and Noah admitted that he never saw it coming.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Every single person is like, 'It's not happening,'" Noah told Variety.
"When West and Amanda confirmed it, I was stunned. I was just as shocked as any viewer out there."
He added, "I would have never predicted West and Amanda in the first place, I would never have predicted it would go where it is now. And I have no idea where it's going next."
Noah said the revelation sent the cast "reeling" and it was a "really painful situation" for a lot of them, "primarily Ciara and Kyle," who "were distraught."
Ciara certainly hasn't held back when sharing her opinion of West and Amanda's alleged betrayal in the media. She said Amanda was never a good friend to her and "bad karma" will be coming for the both of them.
ADVERTISEMENT
Given there was still tension and conversations to be had amongst the Season 10 cast members, Bravo decided to air a bonus episode featuring post-reunion footage, Summer House: The Aftermath, on Tuesday, June 16.
"I think she got hit the hardest by all of this -- personally, emotionally, the toll that it took on her," Noah said of Ciara.
"She has been incredibly open and vulnerable on our air, and when somebody gives that much of themselves and keeps getting knocked down again, it hurts all of us. I felt terrible for what she's gone through."
But Noah -- who also oversees Love Island -- said it felt great to give Ciara the opportunity to co-host Aftersun.
"She did a fantastic job on in the premiere episode... that was great. And I think she deserved the last word in this situation," he noted.
In addition, Ciara was recently announced as one of the celebrities competing on Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars this fall.