RHONY's Luann de Lesseps Says Bravo Actually Paid for Her Rehab, Bethenny Frankel 'Helped'
Luann de Lesseps is clarifying who foot the bill for her second stint in rehab.
On Wednesday’s episode of People Now, the Real Housewives of New York City and cabaret star addressed Bethenny Frankel‘s role in covering the cost of the treatment program she attended last year, saying Bravo picked up the check.
“She helped, but the network actually paid for that. So I want to clarify that,” de Lesseps, 54, told People Now, “You’re the only ones who know it, I said it here, right now.”
“[Bethenny] helped make that happen, absolutely, and I give her credit for that,” the Countess continued. “But the network covered that for me, which is great.”
Representatives for Bravo had no comment about de Lesseps’ statement. A representative for Frankel did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
In June 2018, after de Lesseps checked into the program, Frankel, 48, told PEOPLE that Bravo had stood by de Lesseps even though she missed the season 10 reunion while in rehab.
“Bravo has been very supportive of Luann during this time,” Frankel said. “It’s a brave and honest decision by her, and everyone is rallying around her and wants the best for her.”
“Luann is now surrounded by a core group of people who truly have her best interests at heart and who are working to make sure she gets the help she needs,” Frankel added.
During season 11, though, Frankel clashed with de Lesseps during a heated Miami meltdown — calling de Lesseps “insufferable” and claiming that she was downplaying her friends’ efforts to get her back into a treatment facility.
“Do you understand it was the whole weekend? I took weeks of my life for you!” Frankel said. “I had lawyers come to your house on a Sunday. I spoke to your kids. I sat outside on your driveway to make sure you didn’t drive your car — you almost crashed the boat and killed your friends. You were running in a field in negligee and had to be taken in cop cars and I made sure that they didn’t record it so you ultimately didn’t get arrested.”
“You left the f—ing rehab that I got you for free two weeks early, cause of cabaret!” Frankel added. “You’re a sicko! I got it for free! You’re sick.”
RELATED: Luann de Lesseps Opens Up About RHONY Argument with Bethenny Frankel Over Her Sobriety
She also alleged that de Lesseps didn’t support her enough after her ex-boyfriend, Dennis Shields, died in August of a suspected overdose.(During last week’s reunion episode, Frankel said de Lesseps called her and begged to borrow money from the businessman to purchase a home amid her relapse.)
“You never checked in on Dennis. Not once,” Frankel said. “You never ask about Dennis. You never ask. No you don’t. Every day it’s about you! You didn’t ask me once about how I am about Dennis. You didn’t ask me because you’re so up your own ass.”
De Lesseps refuted Frankel’s claims to People Now on Wednesday.
“I did reach out to her about Dennis. I say in scene, ‘This is not true. I do say that,’ ” de Lesseps said. “I don’t go after her and say, ‘This is not true, that is not true,’ because she was having a meltdown. The last thing I need to do is approach her. I think that is the better way to go because I think she would have gotten worse.”
More about the topic is expected to be addressed in part 2 of the Real Housewives of New York City reunion, which airs Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.
