Bravo Announces Plans for ‘The Real Housewives of Dubai’

The American cable network Bravo is launching “The Real Housewives of Dubai.” Andy Cohen, the executive producer of the popular reality series, made the announcement on Monday in an appearance on the Today Show. The format has been used on other networks around the world, but this will mark the first official international version of the show. “The Real Housewives of Dubai” has not yet begun filming; it is slated to premiere sometime next year.  No cast members have been announced, with many pundits guessing that Caroline Stanbury, formerly of Bravo’s “Ladies of London,” who owns a home in Dubai, will appear on the new reality show. The show will focus, according to a statement from Bravo, on “a group of women navigating their relationships, careers and supremely lavish and ultra-wealthy lifestyles in the United Arab Emirates. With the desert paradise of Dubai as the backdrop, this billionaire’s playground is known for its over-the-top opulence, jaw-dropping modern architecture and wild nightlife scene.” Critics have complained that the show will feature a place that is known for human rights violations, particularly against women and the LGBTQ+ community.