Why did Monica Garcia leave The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (RHOSLC)? Explained

Monica Garcia, aged 40, has departed from The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City following her debut season.

Throughout Season 4, she found herself embroiled in various controversies, notably the Reality Von Tease Instagram account scandal. On Tuesday, People revealed that Monica will not be making an appearance in Season 5.

The filming for the upcoming season, slated to commence in February 2024, is expected to bring back familiar faces like Heather Gay, Meredith Marks, Whitney Rose, Angie Katsanevas and Lisa Barlow.

Notably absent from the returning cast is Monica Garcia, despite her standout presence in the latest season.

The explosive revelation of her association with the Reality Von Tease Instagram troll account, known for posting derogatory content about the RHOSLC stars did leave fans shocked.

Here's why she won't be a part of the new season ready to air in February, 2024.

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What went down with Monica Garcia?

Following the revelation that Monica was the mastermind behind the Reality Von Tease Instagram account, responsible for posting unfavorable stories about the RHOSLC cast, it was confirmed that Monica won't be making a comeback for the next season.

Heather Gay, in light of this news, expressed her satisfaction with the decision, seemingly relieved by Monica's departure from the hit show. In an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Heather said;

"What Monica never got was that it was a show about friendship. And she was not interested in being any of our friends. I’m just looking forward to filming with Whitney (Rose) and Meredith (Marks) and Lisa (Barlow) and Angie (Katsanevas). They’re my actual friends, and we have a great time together."

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The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City unraveling: Delving into the controversial troll account

In the season 4 finale, Heather Gay dropped a bombshell by revealing that Garcia was among the culprits behind the Reality Von Tease Instagram account.

The troll profile had been targeting Jen Shah and other cast members, adding another layer of drama to the already intense season.

Before Monica Garcia's departure from the show was confirmed on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, the producers explored ways to navigate around her exit.

Producer Noah Samton discussed the challenges in finding a solution in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter:

"Monica's a great cast member. She’s open and vulnerable, and she represents a different kind of person in Salt Lake than we have on the show.

"But at the same time, there’s the deception, there’s the relationship with the other cast members. It’s a really complicated puzzle.”

Monica Garcia, the inaugural Latina member of the cast and a mother of four, garnered widespread acclaim for injecting a vibrant energy into RHOSLC.

Even Bravo superfan Jennifer Lawrence praised the cast's performances as Oscar-worthy at the Golden Globes, and The Los Angeles Times highlighted Garcia for contributing to the reality series' captivating and unpredictable nature.

Following the revelation, Monica Garcia promptly acknowledged having access to the Finsta, a fact confirmed by Heather Gay's hairstylist Tenesha Luckett. In the episode, Heather exclaimed:

“I have your perfect formula: receipts, proof, timeline, screenshots, f**king everything to prove that you are a f**king bully and a f**king troll, and you do not deserve to be at this table or anywhere near any of us for the way you’ve treated us! Every single one of us has woken up in fear for the s**t that you posted!”

Monica clarified that the account wasn't managed by a sole individual; there were additional people involved in its operations:

“It wasn’t just me. There were several other humans involved, but bottom line, our mission was to take down Jen. The other women were just collateral damage.”

While Monica Garcia won't be joining the new season, the other ladies are set to bring on the entertainment to your screen.

The final part of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City reunion aired on Bravo on Tuesday, January 23, at 8 pm ET. All episodes of the season are available to stream on Peacock.