New York, May 19, 2026, 10:03 (EDT)
- Kyle Cooke pushed back against accusations that his split from Amanda Batula was for show, after the two were seen together at Bravo’s “In the City” premiere in New York. He defended sharing the photo with his estranged wife. Cosmopolitan
- Hours ahead of the “Summer House” spinoff premiere, the couple’s split and Batula’s ties to West Wilson are front-and-center in Bravo’s push. Bravo
- A network executive said Bravo has updated the new show with additional material about Batula and Wilson’s relationship.
Kyle Cooke responded to speculation from viewers alleging he and Amanda Batula staged their breakup, after the two were seen together Monday at the New York premiere of Bravo’s “In the City.” On Instagram, Cooke pointed out Batula almost didn’t attend. He also said a single photo can’t erase what he called the “implosion of a marriage.” Cosmopolitan
Timing gave the image its punch. “In the City,” Bravo’s latest offshoot from “Summer House,” drops Tuesday night, and the show isn’t shying away from the Cooke-Batula breakup. Batula’s new thing with West Wilson, who also stars, is on the table as well. Bravo
Bravo has slotted the premiere for 9 p.m. ET/PT, right after the “Summer House” Season 10 finale wraps. That puts the couple’s red-carpet arrival front and center on launch day. According to the network, the new series tracks the New York cast as they navigate marriage, breakups, parenting, and fresh starts. Bravo
Cooke didn’t mince words in his response. “We’re all adults here,” he stated, noting that he personally persuaded Batula to show up. As for the backlash, Cooke said critics should “grow the fuck up,” per Cosmopolitan’s report, which pointed to his remarks on Instagram. Cosmopolitan
Us Weekly reports that at the premiere, Batula could be seen motioning to Cooke as they stood for press shots. He slipped an arm around her waist; both smiled for the cameras. According to the outlet, this marked their first time stepping out together in public since the Wilson situation flared earlier this year.
Cooke and Batula said in January they were splitting up after four years together, calling it a “mutually and amicably” made decision in a statement. The pair, who married in September 2021 following a long on-air relationship on “Summer House,” confirmed their breakup to Bravo. Bravo
Back in March, Batula and Wilson went public, saying their friendship had shifted into something romantic—a move that hit especially hard because Wilson had dated Batula’s close friend and “Summer House” co-star Ciara Miller. They described their relationship as growing out of a “genuine, long-standing friendship,” and admitted it was “impact beyond just us.” Los Angeles Times
Wilson pushed back on claims of any overlap with previous relationships, telling the “Show Me Something” podcast in April, “There was no overlap,” according to Us Weekly. He emphasized, “everyone was single.” Us Weekly
Bravo is weaving the recent controversy into “In the City.” Frances Berwick, chairman of Bravo and Peacock unscripted, said the show’s first episode now features “a new scene” with cast members that tackles the relationship, though the network felt it didn’t belong in “Summer House.” Bravo
Bravo gets a setup it knows well: off-screen drama bleeding right into the show, thanks to the cast breakup. The Los Angeles Times pointed out that fans are already likening it to 2023’s “Scandoval” from “Vanderpump Rules.” Still, the Times made clear there’s no sign of cheating in the Batula-Wilson fallout. Los Angeles Times
But there’s risk here. If audiences sense the feud feels staged, the red-carpet theatrics could sap the emotion right out; if filming grinds to a halt, that tension—the main draw—vanishes. Cooke claims filming with people he’s had “beef” with has never been a problem for him. Cosmopolitan
For now, Cooke’s calling the premiere photo a gesture of courtesy, not a sign of patching things up. The action shifts to TV on Tuesday night—“In the City” starts after the “Summer House” finale, and the reunion episodes are still coming. Us Weekly
