'Basketball Wives' Cast Shakeup After Evelyn Lozada Quits, Brooke Bailey Coming Back While Shaunie O'Neal Debates Another Season
Jun. 4 2021, Published 10:00 a.m. ET
The producers of Basketball Wives are being forced to shake up their cast after one of the biggest stars of the show, Evelyn Lozada, decided to walk away from the series.
Earlier this week, Lozada dropped the bombshell that she was over the show and would not be returning for season 10, despite being offered a contract. She's an original cast member and helped launch the VH1 reality show in 2010.
Lozada told us the decision wasn't hard. She said, "It’s been an exhausting last couple of seasons and I want to do other things. I feel like the show is not evolving, we are doing things we did 10 years ago.”
She added, "It's not the most positive energy. Now I have a conscience about what I say and what I do and what my kids are going to see."
"I really just don’t want to bring negativity into your home anymore," she told Radar.
Sources tell us Lozada's decision has caused a stir behind the scenes. The producers are now having to rethink the entire strategy for the show. We're told the producers have decided to bring back Basketball Wives LA cast member Brooke Bailey.
Bailey starred on the spin-off of BB Wives on season two and came back as a guest in season five.
Sources say Jackie Christie has already signed to film but Shaunie O'Neal has yet to make a decision on whether she will be returning. The show was partly O'Neal's idea as she was the force behind the show being made.
Producers believe Malaysia Pargo along with Nia & Noria Dorsey are all expected to return. The network reportedly wants to bring in a big name but has yet to lock down anybody.
The franchise is still one of VH1's highest-rated shows. Last season was toned down due to restrictions in place because of the pandemic. The entire show was filmed inside two rental homes instead of the normal free-flowing production.