Monica Garcia Has Been Cut From 'RHOSLC' Season 5, but May Return in Future Seasons

The ladies of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City were thrown for a loop during the Season 4 finale after learning Monica Garcia was behind the Instagram gossip account Reality Von Tease. The account was seemingly created for fans to keep up with the latest drama — but most of Monica's co-stars didn't see it that way.

Heather Gay claimed Reality Von Tease was "dedicated to annihilating and exposing" former cast mate Jen Shah, who is currently in prison for her role in a telemarketing scam. Adding to the drama, she accused Monica of "trolling" her, along with Lisa Barlow, Meredith Marks, and Whitney Rose.

"These were character assassinations,” she said during the finale. "But we never knew who it was."

Monica defended herself, claiming she didn't see Reality Von Tease as a "bad thing." Instead, it was a way to publicly shame and expose Jen's mistreatment of her staff, considering Monica used to work for her. She also revealed during the three-part reunion that she was just one of six people who had access to the account and was not acting alone.

But the damage had already been done and her co-stars wanted nothing to do with her from that point on. When reunion host Andy Cohen gave Monica a chance to apologize and make peace with them, Monica declined.

Given all the animosity surrounding her, fans are wondering if Monica will exit the RHOSLC series for good. In fact, some folks have been speculating that Monica got fired. Is that true?

Monica was not fired from RHOSLC, but on Jan. 23, 2024, showrunner Lori Gordon confirmed to Variety the decision had been made to not include her in Season 5.

She told the outlet, "The women just need a cooling off period, and I think it’s just too soon. They've articulated it. It’s too soon for them to reenter into a friendship — a trusting friendship. Not enough time has passed."

Lisa Shannon of Shed Media, the show's production company, also noted that RHOSLC Season 5 is "starting to film relatively soon, and I think that everyone needs a minute." As for whether Monica will return to the series in the future, Shed Media definitely seems open to it: "Never say never. You never know," Lisa said.

Andy Cohen spilled some more details on his SiriusXM show, explaining why producers are sidelining Monica.

"I think the reunion is the chance to come out [and] say why you did what you did on the season," the host said on his SiriusXM show, Andy Cohen Live. "It's the Supreme Court of public opinion. And so Monica had the opportunity, not only to explain herself to the audience but way more importantly, in this case, to the other women. And I don't think she successfully swayed any of them to her side."

Upon hearing the news that Monica will not be returning for Season 5, fans are devastated, claiming she brought a level of unprecedented drama that made the show exciting. In fact, ratings and viewership for Season 4 of RHOSLC were at an all-time high, likely because of Monica.

Season 4 of RHOSLC was Monica's first season on the show. She revealed during the reunion that she got cast after sending an email to the production team telling them she should be on the show — and, well, it worked!

Hopefully, we'll see Monica again in future seasons of RHOSLC —that's if the ladies ever forgive her.