Carl Radke Skipped out on 'Winter House' for His Own Health

For five seasons, the cast of Bravo's Summer House kept viewers entertained with a lot of drama, some fights (mostly verbal, but some physical), and hookups galore. And for five seasons, former medical sales rep turned Loverboy VP of Sales Carl Radke was a staple on the show. So when Bravo announced the series's spinoff Winter House and most of the current Summer House cast decided to hit the slopes, fans were disappointed that Carl was nowhere to be seen.

Why is Carl not on Winter House? He had a very good reason for missing the first season.

Ahead of the Season 1 premiere of Winter House, Carl spoke with Us Weekly about why missing out on the spinoff series, though difficult, was the best decision for him. "I’d be lying if I didn’t have a little bit of FOMO, but I really put a lot of thought into taking some time for myself," Carl said. "Sobriety is super important to me and taking better mental care of myself. I can’t wait to watch my friends. I’ve heard a lot about it."

Summer House fans have previously seen that Carl struggles with substance abuse issues. After Season 4 finished airing, he announced that he was going to focus on his sobriety. He previously told Us Weekly, "I actually admitted that I do have so many issues and I wanted to actually get help that’s directly, you know, attacking the alcohol component. And that’s something I’d never done before. So I’m proud of myself, I feel supported.”

The timing of when Winter House was filmed had a lot to do with why Carl didn't believe that the show would have been good for his health. Carl's brother, Curtis Radke, died in August of 2020 after struggling with mental illness and addiction. His brother's battles are part of what prompted Carl to take a look at his own substance abuse issues and get help.

But although Winter House is currently airing, it was actually filmed in February of 2021, just months after Curtis's sudden passing. When discussing his reason for not filming Winter House, Carl confirmed to Us Weekly, "My brother passing away was a big deal for me. And a lot of that was airing [on Summer House] around the time of Winter House filming and [amid] my sobriety and all that. It was better to take some time, and no amount of money was worth it.”

Carl did partake in Season 5 of Summer House, where he focused on drinking in moderation and proving to himself that he could be fun without partying heavily. So, hopefully, fans needn't worry that him skipping Winter House is an indication that he won't be a part of Season 6.

Winter House airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo.

If you or someone you know needs help, use SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator to find support for mental health and substance use disorders in your area or call 1-800-662-4357 for 24-hour assistance.