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What’s old is new again on this upcoming season of The Real Housewives of New York City.

Specifically, former Housewife Heather Thomson is once again a Housewife for Season 13.

This sounds great for everyone, including her fans.

Except that it turned out to be such a disaster that Heather quit over conflict with one fellow Housewife.

Photo via Instagram

For years, RHONY fans have campaigned for Heather Thomson’s return.

Production seemed to love the idea, bringing her back for Season 13 to see how she fit in with the current cast.

They got their answer … when she and Leah McSweeney ruffled each other’s feathers.

Photo via Bravo

An inside source spoke to Us Weekly about what went down from start to finish.

The insider first shed light on what “prompted production to maneuver her return.”

The source said that it was “Heather’s popular history with the old cast and the excitement about new cast member Eboni K. Williams.”

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So, what happened? The conflict began in the Hamptons.

Heather and Leah had some sort of bitter exchange at Ramona singer’s home over a weekend.

What began as a friendly get-together turned into a catastrophe.

Photo via Bravo

“Shortly after she arrived, Leah and Heather [butted] heads,” the insider detailed.

“Their exchanges got messy,” the source added.

“And,” the insider admitted, “included some name-calling.”

Photo via Bravo

Apparently, Heather was “stunned” by their unhappy exchange.

Until that time, she and Leah had gotten along well.

They had previously only seen one another at Dorinda Medley’s home in The Berkshires.

Leah McSweeney Midseason 12 Promo

It was only in the Hamptons that they butted heads.

Heather, the report says, felt that Leah’s behavior was “demeaning.”

As a result, she decided to stop filming. Wow!

Photo via BRAVO

“Heather could see Leah was acting up for the cameras,” the insider claimed.

“And,” the source continued, “using behavior she considered demeaning and exploitative.”

The insider alleged that Leah was over the top “and frankly, crossed a line.”

Photo via Bravo

“Heather wanted no part of Leah,” the source reported.

“So after she left that weekend,” the insider revealed, “Heather had no interest in continuing the season at all.”

The source said that she told producers just that “and stopped filming.”

Photo via Bravo

We have already seen just a small taste of that conflict in the Season 13 trailer.

Leah is seen in the trailer referring to Heather as a “Karen.”

In the trailer, Leah also encourages Heather to mind her own business — which seems to baffle Heather.

Leah McSweeney Speaks
(Bravo)

Presumably, there is more to the conflict than some mild name-calling and a simple admonishment.

At least, whether it’s true or not, being called a “Karen” is seldom reason to quit a job.

(In fact, usually it’s the “Karen” in question trying to cost someone else their job, not the other way around)

Photo via Bravo

Heather is a classic star popular among fans.

But Leah was a breath of fresh air to the show and to the entire franchise.

Which of them will turn out to be in the right?

For that, we can only guess until we know more information.

(It is not wrong to call out a “Karen” when you see one … but we don’t know who’s right yet)

The new season premieres on Star Wars Day, May 4. Very conveniently easy to remember!