Real Housewives of Melbourne to Return for a Fourth Season, But Chyka Keebaugh Won't Be Back

DailyMail.com:

Real Housewives of Melbourne is reportedly making a comeback.

Sources tell The Herald Sun the reality TV show 'will definitely' be back for a fourth series next year.

Meanwhile, cast member Chyka Keebaugh has confirmed she will not return.

Chyka, 46, decided to quit RHOM to focus on her family, hospitality business and lifestyle brand.

She previously wrote on Instagram: 'Reality TV is a ride I have enjoyed it thoroughly, but that ride for me is now over.'

Chyka, nicknamed Switzerland on the show, also said leaving RHOM would make way for new opportunities.

'I have decided to close this door in order to make way for some exciting new opportunities within the lifestyle arena, for the "Chyka Home and Life" media brand.'

Despite her departure, Chyka has a positive attitude towards her former co-stars, saying earlier this year, 'My friendships made during the show won't change'.

'I'll look on with such pride as the girls film many more seasons full of drama, frocks and shocks

'I'll just have a little more time for my family and businesses,' she concluded.

In June, Gina Liano confirmed the show will 'definitely' be back, but didn't reveal which cast members would be returning.

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Chyka Keebaugh Is Leaving 'Real Housewives Of Melbourne'

HeraldSun.com:

CHYKA Keebaugh is leaving The Real Housewives Of Melbourne after three years on the reality show.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal the original cast member of the show won’t be back if a fourth series is commissioned, preferring on working creating a lifestyle empire, much like American doyen Martha Stewart.

“It’s time for a change,” she said.

‘I’ve had the most amazing ride and it’s been absolutely wonderful.

“I feel like I have given as much as I can to the show, and I want to concentrate on other things too.

“It think it’s good to go out on a high.

Keebaugh runs her own website and with her husband Bruce, one of Melbourne’s most successful events companies, The Big Group.

She said her family, husband Bruce and children Chessie and BJ, are completely supportive of her decision.

Recently Chessie made headlines after some driving indiscretions, however Keebaugh said this had nothing to do with her quitting the show, if anything it made the family stronger.

Keebaugh said Housewives can be all encompassing, including delving into private lives.

‘It’s eight months of your life,” she said.

“It goes into everything, it goes into family, all of which has been wonderful.

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Jackie Gillies, Janet Roach and Chyka Keebaugh on That Shocking 'RHOM' Finale

People.com:

Anyone who was under the illusion that this season of The Real Housewives of Melbourne had run out of drama before the finale had another thing coming on Thursday night.

After months of back-and-forth over rumors, not to mention plenty of nasty comments by resident villain Giana Liano, even cool-headed clairvoyant Jackie Gillies lost some of her shine-shine-shine.

Once Gillies arrived at this week's big event, a birthday party for season 2 newbie Pettifleur Berenger, she told PEOPLE she immediately felt her extra-powerful intuition tingling. What followed was, according to fellow Housewife Chyka Keebaugh, "very big drama that no one saw coming or expected."

The Set-Up

Though most Housewives events are wine-fueled showdowns, "I'd only had one drink," says Gillies, who spoke to PEOPLE along with pals Keebaugh and Janet Roach. "I said [to Janet], 'Something bad's going to happen tonight. I can feel it.' "

"She did," confirmed Roach. "She said, 'Psychically, I feel I need to keep my wits about me.' "

What followed was a literal bang-up argument that started with insults about Gillies' carer as a psychic, crested with Liano making "outrageous" insinuations about Gillies' and Roach's sobriety, and ended with Gillies chasing down Liano, rapping on a balcony door to draw her frenemy back in and ultimately, claims Gillies, getting caught up in a physical altercation that wasn't shown on screen.

Or, as Roach summed it up during the episode: "Gina is such a dirty fighter. She throws the bomb that Jackie and I have got dilated pupils and then run as fast as that fat, Spanx ass will let her go."

Unlike many other Housewives franchises's feuds, Melbourne's fight have typically been verbal – not physical – and Keebaugh says (perhaps optimistically): "I don't think it would ever get worse than [what happened in the finale]."

The Background

The dust-up had deeper layers than viewers saw because Liano, according to Gillies, "brought a person along ... to fully intimidate me. She brought this person along to say something to me, and so she ran outside, knowing that I wouldn't go after her. And I thought, 'No, no, no.' So I went after her, and she grabbed me. They don't actually show that. You only see me saying, 'Don't touch me.' That was probably my moment where I was like, 'I'm just done with this.' Because I did feel in a way unsafe. I did feel threatened."

It's a surprising move for Liano, a sharp-tongued lawyer who herself isn't easily intimidated, to shy away from conflict. Keebaugh attributed it to the fact that "Jackie rattles her cage."

She continued, "Gina knows that Jackie's got the support of us, and she doesn't know how to deal with it. So when she flies up and makes comments and Jackie says, 'That's not true,' she already knows that she's lost the battle because we all believe in Jax."

What's Next

But it's Gillies who'll be rattled at next week's reunion: "You see a side of Jackie you've never seen before," teased Roach.

"I get emotional," said Gillies, who cops to shedding more than a few tears over "something that happened in season 1 off camera and was swept under the carpet." 

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'Jewelchic' Interviews Chyka Keebaugh

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Janet Roach and Chyka Keebaugh Not Happy with Gina Liano's New Shoe Line

Bustle.com:

All heel broke loose on Thursday night’s The Real Housewives of Melbourne. (Nope. Not sorry that I dropped a corny pun right out the gate.) (And nope. Not sorry for that pun, either. Can’t stop, won’t stop.) Gina launched her high heel line, but the footwear debut did not go off without a hitch: The glamorous barrister named each pair of pumps after the other Melbourne Housewives… without asking. The other Melbourne Housewives were upset that Gina used their names without getting their permission. Gina was like, “Whatever! I do what I want” (I’m paraphrasing) (and by “paraphrasing,” I mean ”quoting Eric Cartman”).

But the drama did not stop there: Two of the Melbourne Housewives were upset about the shoes Gina chose to name after them. Janet and Chyka complained that their heels were “nana shoes,” and they suspected this was an intentional diss. Chyka was offended that Gina decided to name a pair of kitten heels after her, and Janet was offended her pair of kicks were closed-toe. When Janet confronted Gina about the Janet heels, Gina explained that the shoes happen to be fashion-forward:

I couldn’t check out the Gina Liano online shop fast enough. I would go so far as to say I scrambled to pull up my web browser. I had to see these “cutting edge” “nana shoes.” Gina showed off a bunch of pumps at her launch, but I didn’t see any that matched Chyka and Janet’s descriptions. 

Let’s see Janet’s “nana shoes”:

Oh, wait. I’m pretty sure these pumps were on the show. I guess I just assumed Janet was talking about a different pair of shoes.  

Grown women of any age can and should wear whatever shoes they want. If a woman in her 20s wants to wear high top Vans everywhere (me), that’s cool. If a woman in her 70s wants to rock a pair of glittery five-inch heels, that’s cool, too. Live your life, wear what feels right, et cetera.

That said, I’m curious if “nana shoes”/”grandma shoes” means something different in Australia, because the phrase “grandma shoe” brings to mind a very specific style of footwear. Those glittery five-inch pumps were a bit of a twist. It’d be like if someone said a man was wearing “dad jeans,” and the guy showed up in a pair of dark denim skinny jeans. But hey, I’m not mad at it.

RELATED: ‘The Real Housewives of Melbourne’ 2×9: Gina’s New Shoes

'Real Housewives of Melbourne' Season 2 to Premiere Thursday, March 5 on Bravo

TVByTheNumbers.com:

Bravo Media welcomes back Australia’s elite as “The Real Housewives of Melbourne” return State-side with the season two acquisition premiering Thursday, March 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Businesswoman Chyka Keebaugh, bold barrister Gina Liano, psychic Jackie Gillies, property developer Janet Roach and fashionista Lydia Schiavello are back and more extravagant than ever. These socialites are joined by two new Housewives – dog-loving art consultant Gamble Breaux, and business owner Pettifleur Berenger. Successful women in their own right, these seven ladies are seen as Victorian royalty married to wealthy and high-profile businessmen, doctors and rock stars; and make no excuses for the lives of luxury they lead. “The Real Housewives of Melbourne” is produced by Matchbox Pictures, part of NBCUniversal International Television Production and distributed in the US by NBCUniversal Television & New Media Distribution.

There is no shortage of high-end drama as the champagne flows as quickly as the fiery remarks are made. These ladies are determined to start afresh and put last year’s tensions behind them, until two newcomers join the group and instantly change the dynamic. From luxurious golf outings to chic fashion shows, resentments rise and friendships are damaged beyond repair. With two new ladies in the mix, get ready for wild accusations and surprising revelations that leave everyone reeling and reaching for another cocktail. The full first season of “The Real Housewives of Melbourne” will be available on video on-demand and Bravo Now beginning Monday, February 23. For a sneak peek of season two please visit: http://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/the-real-housewives-of-melbourne-returns-march-5

The International Housewives Include:

Chyka Keebaugh:

Chyka is one of Melbourne’s most liked and well-connected Housewives. Creative and friendly, she is a go-getter with a quiet confidence and positive outlook on life. Chyka married her best friend in her husband Bruce, and together they have built one of Australia’s largest privately owned catering and event companies, The Big Group, in addition to raising two children, Chessie, 20, and BJ, 18. As their lives get busier and busier, Chyka must manage to make time for not only her professional life, but also her personal one.

Gina Liano:

A Criminal Barrister and single mother of two boys, Gina has more to her than meets the eye. Her looks, flamboyance and sense of style cannot hide her love and family ties to fashion. Strong and assertive in her nature, Gina has confronted cancer with a sense of determination and optimism, and now lives life to the fullest. With a “no regrets” attitude, Gina is launching her own shoe line, securing a book deal and working towards becoming the Ambassador for the Cancer Council of Victoria.

Jackie Gillies:

The amazingly gifted, celebrity psychic Jackie is wife of rock royalty, Silverchair drummer, Ben Gillies. Together with her husband, Jackie is focused on growing their ready-to-serve cocktail brand, La Mascara, and having it present at all of Melbourne’s elite events and parties, and hopes to expand its name into a business empire.

Janet Roach:

A millionaire property developer now living life to the max, Janet is taking on a journey of self-discovery after catching her ex-husband cheating online. Fabulous and fun, this blonde bombshell is single and loving it. Janet is the proud mother of two sons, Paul, 30, and Jake, 26, and is passionate about her newest venture “Raw Essentials,” a medicinal tea where  a portion of all sales will aid in the treatment of burn patients’ scarring.

Lydia Schiavello:

Married to well-known Australian architect and CEO of Metier 3, Andrew Norbury, Lydia has recently graduated from an interior design and decoration course at RMIT University. She is a very passionate and capable woman, and has a diverse lifestyle from skiing to fashion, food to flying. Lydia loves spending time with her family and has two boys, one girl and three step-children – not to mention her fashion-forward Italian greyhound, Figaro.

Gamble Breaux:

Newcomer Gamble is quirky, entertaining and definitely marches to the beat of her own drum. She is partnered with Dr. Rick Wolfe, one of Australia’s most respected cataract and laser refractive eye surgeons, and is a contemporary art collector and consultant. A former model, Gamble believes in always looking her best, even if that means a little nip and tuck.

Pettifleur Berenger:

Determined, feisty and glamorous, Pettifleur thrives on a life of accomplishment and luxury. In a true ‘rags to riches’ story, Pettifleur now runs a successful property development business – building homes she could only dream of living in as a child – and lives in a penthouse in the heart of the city. She is a mother to three fantastic boys and is working towards her first book.

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