Andy Cohen Is Not Leaving Bravo Despite Legal Troubles, Says Network: 'Absolutely No Truth'
Speculation over Andy Cohen's future at Bravo comes as he and the network face a mounting number of complaints from former talent
Andy Cohen has no plans to leave Bravo.
Amid speculation the Watch What Happens Live host and Real Housewives executive producer was negotiating an exit package after two decades, a Bravo spokesperson confirms to PEOPLE that Cohen, 55, will remain at the network.
“There is absolutely no truth to this story — it is obviously made up by a source who is not credible,” the spokesperson says.
Related: Andy Cohen Thinks Bette Midler Would Be the 'Grand Dame of Beverly Hills' If She Joined RHOBH
The television personality told PEOPLE at BravoCon 2023 in November that he wasn’t looking to exit Bravo anytime soon.
“Next year is my 20th year at Bravo,” he shared at the time. “Next year is our 15th year of Watch What Happens Live. I'll stay as long as Bravo wants me, as I once said to a very long running housewife being on TV is a gift, it is not a right.”
He added: “And so, you know, we're all fortunate to be on TV for however long we are.”
Related: Leah McSweeney Says the Truth 'Is on My Side' in Lawsuit Against Bravo and Andy Cohen
The rumors of Cohen’s departure come seven weeks after former Real Housewives of New York City star Leah McSweeney sued the longtime host.
In the lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York, which was also obtained by PEOPLE, McSweeney, 41, claimed the Real Housewives executive producer and Bravo facilitated a “rotted" workplace culture where employees were pressured to consume alcohol.
McSweeney also accused Cohen of engaging in “cocaine use with Housewives and other 'Bravolebrities' that he employs” and providing “favorable treatment and edits” to those he allegedly used the substance with.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, a source denied the allegation that Cohen “does cocaine with any Housewives,” calling it “outrageous.”
The outlet also reported that a source close to the franchise’s production alleged that McSweeney was in talks about being cast on RHONY: Legacy but ultimately was not chosen for the ensemble, given her short tenure on the series. The production source told THR, “If she was cast in Legacy like she wanted, this wouldn’t be happening.”
Related: Andy Cohen Denies Claims Real Housewives of New York City Alum Leah McSweeney Made in New Lawsuit
More than a week after McSweeney filed a lawsuit against Cohen, the executive producer's attorney Orin Snyder said the filing is "littered with false, offensive, and defamatory statements” in a letter sent to McSweeney, which was obtained by PEOPLE.
Snyder called "virtually every" allegation made by the Bravo star "categorically false" and threatened further legal action if she did not “immediately” retract and withdraw claims about Cohen’s cocaine use.
"If you refuse to do so, Mr. Cohen reserves the right to hold you and your client accountable to the fullest extent of the law," the letter stated. "To be clear: these allegations are categorically false. Mr. Cohen never used cocaine with any cast member on any Real Housewives show or with any other Bravo employee.”
“The allegations were obviously made up by you and/or your client to achieve maximum tabloid clickbait value in the hopes of weaponizing these false allegations — along with other lies that permeate the complaint — as leverage to force an unjustified settlement,” the letter continued. “It will not. Instead, this conduct only subjects you and your client to independent and substantial legal exposure."
In February, Cohen apologized to Brandi Glanville after she accused him of sexual harassment.
In a letter sent to NBCUniversal (Bravo's parent company), Warner Bros, and production company Shed Media on Thursday by Glanville's attorneys Bryan J. Freedman and Mark Geragos, the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star claimed Cohen sent her an inappropriate recording back in 2022.
“In a video sent by Mr. Cohen to Ms. Glanville in 2022, Mr. Cohen — appearing obviously inebriated — boasted of his intention to sleep with another Bravo star that night while thinking of her and invited her to watch via Facetime,” read the letter, which was filed in Los Angeles and obtained by PEOPLE.
In response to the allegations, Cohen issued an apology on X (formerly known as Twitter).
“The video shows Kate Chastain and I very clearly joking to Brandi. It was absolutely meant in jest, and Brandi’s response clearly communicated she was in on the joke. That said, it was totally inappropriate and I apologize,” Cohen wrote.
The video shows Kate Chastain and I very clearly joking to Brandi. It was absolutely meant in jest, and Brandi’s response clearly communicated she was in on the joke. That said, it was totally inappropriate and I apologize.
— Andy Cohen (@Andy) February 23, 2024
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A Bravo rep had no comment at the time but a source who saw the video told PEOPLE the clip was comedic in nature.
“No one in their right mind would think that anything Andy was saying in that video was meant to be taken seriously," says the insider. "It was very clear that everyone was in on the joke.”
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