Amanda Batula will not be returning for Season 2 of ‘In The City’, though she insists that her castmate-turned-boyfriend West Wilson isn’t to blame for her departure, despite what her estranged husband Kyle Cooke says.
On Wednesday, Page Six reported that the 35-year-old has decided to walk away from the ‘Summer House’ spin-off, which is currently filming its sophomore season.
Amanda’s ‘In The City’ exit comes just four months after she confirmed that she would not be returning to ‘Summer House’– a decision she made just weeks after West was given the boot from the Bravo franchise.
As you know, the ‘Summer House’ exodus occurred less than three months after Amanda and West confirmed their romance via joint social media statement following weeks of speculation among fans. The pair’s ‘Summer House’ co-stars– including Amanda’s ex Kyle and West’s ex-girlfriend Ciara Miller– had also been speculating about the “close” relationship leading up to Amanda and West’s confirmation.
Page Six reports that Bravo had wanted Amanda to appear in a more limited capacity in Season 2 of ‘In The City.’ Meanwhile, according to a source, Amanda wanted her 31-year-old boyfriend to join her for filming, but showrunners weren’t on board. As a result, Amanda reportedly declined returning to the show altogether. Another source told the outlet that Amanda demanded a salary for Season 2 that Bravo just wasn’t willing to meet.
While Amanda had (at the time) not confirmed the real reason behind her decision, Kyle took to the comments of West’s latest Instagram post on Thursday to blame his former friend/castmate for Amanda’s current employment status and to accuse him of using drugs.
“ … [you’re] a coke head that blew my ex’s life and career up,” the 44-year-old wrote in the since-deleted comment.
Although it’s unknown if the coke/career comment was deleted by Kyle or by West, it’s worth noting that Kyle did catch some strays from West the night before on social media after West commented “this rocks” on a World Series photo posted by the MLB.
“[You] know what would rock,” someone replied to West. “[You] and Kyle in the ring [pay per view] 7 rounds.”
“That’s not going 7,” West quipped.
Anyway, hours after Kyle took to West’s Instagram post to fire off his thoughts on Amanda’s ‘In The City’ departure, the Bravo fan account @yourmomsarewatching posted a DM they’d received from Amanda on Thursday morning in which she cited “bullying” as a huge reason for her ‘In The City’ exit.
“The continued hate from fan accounts and the internet is a huge reason why I decided I wasn’t ready to film again and put myself back out there,” she wrote. “The bullying has been [too] intense, who would want to put their life out there for other’s entertainment when they’re constantly ripped apart and beaten down for every single thing they do.”
Later on, Amanda seemed to suggest that Kyle’s motives going into Season 2 of ‘In The City’ may have also contributed to her decision to leave the series.
“Kyle realized that when Amanda declined to film the upcoming season of #inthecity that he could no longer control or manipulate her anymore and melted down in West’s IG comments….,” @RealityQueenn2 wrote, to which Amanda replied, “🎯.’
The online discourse concluded– at least for now– with Kyle taking to his Instagram Story Thursday night to explain why he reacted the way he did to Amanda’s exit.
“Despite our differences, I will always care about Amanda, and when it comes to people I care about, I fight hard,” he wrote. “Sometimes too hard. It’s been an emotional and frustrating situation, and I have let those feelings get the better of me at times. But that doesn’t mean my concerns aren’t valid.
“Ultimately, I wanted us both to have the opportunity to share our perspectives on the show,” Kyle continued. “But at the end of the day, Amanda has her own life and makes her own decisions, just as I make mine. I’ll leave it there.”
In addition to Amanda, Page Six reports that ‘In The City’ Season 1 cast members Danielle Olivera, Eoin Heavey, Andrea Denver and Lexi Sundin will not be returning for Season 2, as a source claims they were not asked back to the Bravo series.
RELATED STORY: ‘In The City’ Star Lindsay Hubbard Issues “Formal PSA” to Bravo Fan Accounts for Inciting Hate Towards Bravo Stars: “There Is a Line”
(Photos: Bravo; Instagram; Twitter)
I’m still perplexed as to why Kyle continues to make excuses for Amanda while placing all the blame on West. The fact that Amanda repeatedly lied to her husband, her friends, and the public when confronted about the possibility of cheating with West says a lot about her character. Why should West bear the brunt of the blame when they’re both equally at fault? They both deserve accountability, so I don’t understand why one keeps getting a pass while the other takes all the heat.
Im glad, i skipped her scenes when i watched the show.
I enjoy Gavins shady self. And Linds knows how to keep things moving, hopefully they pick up some steam on the second season.