Bethenny Frankel puts Just B Divorced podcast on pause after the death of her mother

Bethenny Frankel, reality star and entrepreneur known for her time on The Real Housewives of New York City, recently announced the death of her mother Bernadette Birk, who breathed her last at the age of 73 on April 19. Days later, Frankel announced that she would be taking a break from her podcast Just B Divorced.

She shared the news on social media, stating she had chosen to "temporarily remove" her podcast. In an Instagram story shared on Tuesday, the 53-year-old explained to her followers that she would be stepping back from the Just B Divorced podcast due to the "overwhelming response and an influx of messages" she's received.

"I have chosen to temporarily remove my divorce podcast as a result of an overwhelming response and an influx of messages that have converged with the most significant loss of my life. It is impossible for me to grieve and process both of these traumatic events at the same time," she said.

Frankel's podcast Just B Divorced launched in February 2023 and focused on her experiences navigating her decade-long divorce from her ex-husband Jason Hoppy. The show aims to offer advice and support to others going through similar situations.

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Bethenny Frankel pauses her podcast Just B Divorced

Bethenny Frankel (Image via instagram/@bethennyfrankel)

Bethenny Frankel took to Instagram and spoke about the "unforeseen circumstances" she has been dealing with and said:

"The unforeseen circumstances and the reaction to this triggering topic has confirmed how important this conversation is. In the coming weeks, we will continue this dialogue to help you navigate your challenging divorce journeys."

She then went on to thank her supporters and said:

"I love you all and am so grateful to you for supporting me in both areas."

Frankel's announcement about her podcast came after she shared a tribute to her mom on Sunday. She took to Instagram and called her mom "brilliant, funny, cultured and wise" but also shed light on her struggles. She stated that despite "not being equipped to be a mother," she had "beautiful memories" with Birk.

While Frankel mentioned that her childhood wasn't easy, she recognized that it instilled strength and resilience in her. Though their bond wasn't always smooth, she revealed that she and her mom eventually reconnected, allowing her daughter, Bryn, to develop a relationship with her grandmother.

Bethenny Frankel shared that she had a "sixth sense" about her mother's passing and bid her goodbye as she wrote:

"Goodbye mom, Bonnie, Bernadette. You did the best you could and you are free and at peace."

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More about Bethenny Frankel's podcast

In her podcast series Just B Divorced, Bethenny Frankel, a former member of Real Housewives of New York, shares her candid thoughts on her divorce from Jason Hoppy. Their separation turned into a nearly decade-long legal ordeal, finally concluding in 2021 after the duo filed for divorce in 2013, as per People.

In the initial episodes of the podcast, Bethenny opened up about being drawn to Jason's charm at the beginning, but as time passed, she came to view this as a negative quality. She reflected on a conversation with a life coach and said:

"This life coach that I know believes that ‘charming’ is usually only used for men, not women. In small, tiny doses it’s a positive but in large doses…it’s toxic. It’s a toxic trait."

Speaking about her own experience, Bethenny also acknowledged that there were signs that hinted at the duo's relationship being doomed even before they said, "I do."

Frankel has not released any further updates about her podcast as of this writing.