The cast of Vanderpump Rules apparently needs a break from filming their breakups— and breakdowns!

TMZ broke the news on Tuesday that production of the show will be put on “pause” for at least a few months, with no filming happening this summer for the cast. As ‘VP’ fans know, the show’s cast usually begins filming for the next season in May, with cameras continuing to roll throughout the summer. 

This year, however, the show will reportedly go on hiatus for an unspecified period of time. While sources for TMZ made it clear that ‘Vanderpump Rules’ is not being cancelled, it is unknown when production will begin documenting the cast’s lives again. When cameras do begin rolling again, producers are reportedly hoping to move away from the now-stale “Scandoval” storylines.

“Our sources say Bravo & Co. feel they need to give the cast a break and let their lives breathe a bit in the wake of Scandoval — which has consumed much of the current season … and which has run dry at this point,” the site reported.

(In case you’ve been living under a reality-TV-free rock for the last year or so, “Scandoval” is the term coined by ‘Vanderpump Rules’ fans for the fallout from the months-long affair Tom Sandoval carried out with his co-star Rachel Leviss, behind the back of his live-in girlfriend Ariana Madix.) 

TMZ reports that the show’s producers are hoping that, by giving the cast some space to breathe, there will be some “big developments and new drama to capture.”

Since it’s unknown when the cast will begin filming for ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Season 12, there’s a chance that fans will miss out on the birth of Lala Kent‘s second daughter, who is due September 1. It’s also unknown if the multiple Scandoval-related lawsuits (which were filed by Rachel, Sandoval and Ariana against each other), will be covered for Season 12.

Ariana will have no time away from the cameras, however, as she was recently announced as the new host of Love Island USA. Filming for the season is set to begin soon in Fiji, causing Ariana to be out of commission for a few months. (TMZ called Ariana’s new hosting gig “an additional factor in the decision to pause production.”)

The ‘Vanderpump Rules’ cast has yet to comment on the extended break from filming.

According to Deadline, the pause in production is only for ‘Vanderpump Rules’ and not for its older “sister” show, The Valley. The site stated on Tuesday that ‘The Valley’ (which stars former ‘VP’ stars Jax Taylor, Brittany Cartwright and Kristen Doute) “will continue on its projected production schedule.”

Deadline noted that, while Bravo has not confirmed that ‘The Valley’ is getting a second season, the spin-off has done very well in the ratings during Season 1, scoring Bravo’s best seven-day premiere audience in nearly 10 years. 

The Ashley will update this story when more info is available…

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(Photos: Bravo)