Reality Redemption - Season 8

(Left to Right) Phoon, Gunvalson, Alexander, de la Wary, Graves and de la Cruz

**Season 8** is the eighth season of Reality Redemption that first aired on August 12, 2025, and lasted until October 8, 2025. It consists of ten episodes and introduces two new series regulars: namely Mandy Alexander and Hulla Phoon.

## Plot

Reuniting with an old enemy is never easy - especially when you haven’t talked in a number of years or you are involved in a legal battle. Yet, this season, it plays out as six of the most successful, opinionated woman involved in a similar friendship circle come together to holiday in Puerto Rico!

## Taglines

**Sarah:** “If you want a starring role in this play, you’d better drop the attitude”.

**Joyce:** “The best way to organise a trip? Leave me in charge”.

**Mandy:** “I’m not here for a long time but a good time”.

**Madison:** “No matter what it is - an argument, organising a trip or even a legal battle: I always win”.

**Hulla:** “You never know what to expect, when I’m expecting”.

**Mary:** “Who’s to say what justice is? I live by my rules”.

## Cast and Production

Fans speculated that the show had ended after no official statement on the show’s future was made once Season 7 ended on February 11, 2025. Further doubt was cast on the show’s return when one of the executive producers say it would “take a lot” for the show to come back, suggesting ideas like bringing back an original cast member or “a brand new cast”, given the show’s declining ratings. Keen to revive the show, executive producers began talks with Sarah de la Cruz, Olivia Grayson and Eliza Dawson-Parker to return to the show. The latter almost immediately ruled herself out, saying she didn’t see a return to show was likely “for now”, as she had thrown herself completely into work since leaving the show. After a lucrative deal was signed with Sarah de la Cruz, the show was ordered for another three seasons. She said a few changes would be needed. One suggestion was that there were more cast members since it “had worked better that way”, she also signalled that the “Friend of the Stars” role had worked well last time since it “spiced up the show” having people coming and going. Producers took her ideas on board and signed a deal with Olivia Grayson to join the show as a “Friend of the Stars”. She added that while her life didn’t allow for a full-return to the show, she would be open to it in the future as she admitted how much she envied being on the show during the seventh season. Joyce Gunvalson signed another three-season contract, after impressing the network with her no-nonsense attitude and increasingly “bringing the drama” and advised the producers to sign her friend, Angela Hermes. As cash was scarce, she joined the trip at the start of the series and departed midway through the series: leaving her credited as a “Friend of the Stars”.

Speculation was rife about who would be joining the series amid the cast overhaul, in a “final attempt to improve ratings”. Actress, Chrissy Tiegen, was one name mentioned to be in talks with the show yet she shut the rumours down and clarified that she would have no involvement with the show. TV Show Host, Oprah Winfrey, got touted to be joining the show too, to amplify diversity, yet her spokesperson denied this. Instead, the newlywed and pregnant, Hulla Phoon, who had also starred on BuzzLiv, was introduced to the producers by former co-star Olivia Grayson. Introduced to the girls by her, she promised “explosions” yet maintained the profile of being “kind”. On May 11, 2025, Madison Graves and Mary De La Wary separately announced they had signed two-season contracts to remain on the show for the “foreseeable future”. Some sources suggested Graves had been “bickering” with producers as she saw her opportunity to “act as Queen Bee” due to her being one of the longest stars on the show, yet she was kept on due to her popularity amongst viewers. Despite her ongoing legal battle with Mary De La Wary, the two agreed to stay on the show and give all possible details to the viewers to share their sides of the stories. Days later, shockwaves were sent throughout the fan community when Fallon Lynn and Janice Lynn both jointly announced they wouldn’t be returning to the show. The Mother and Daughter duo were quick to assure fans it wasn’t due to any bad blood with the network or their co-stars but they said they had sat down and reflected on their making up with their sister and daughter respectively, Jackie Lynn, and found solace in all the memories they had created but they had come to the decision to focus on their business. Fallon Lynn’s departure meant all the original cast members had officially finished their first stints on the show, yet this was the start of the second for Sarah de la Cruz and a possible potential second stint for Olivia Grayson. A full cast list was released on June 2, 2025, also featuring newcomer Mandy Alexander. Production begun in the first week of July and finished at the end of the month. The trip was in Puerto Rico, where Joyce Gunvalson wanted the group to get to know her heritage. The episodes were rolled out across Tuesday nights, filling the 9/8 slots, in a change to the usual Monday evening airings in the previous seasons. Episodes were rolled out across August, September and October, officially ending on October 8, 2025. Original cast members, Eliza Dawson-Parker and Fallon Lynn visit Dubai on the eighth episode of the series, after trip organiser, Madison Graves, calls the girls out to help cheer up Sarah de la Cruz.