Why Mary Cosby Rejoined RHOSLC After Being 'Fired' Following Season 2

Summary

Mary Cosby rejoined RHOSLC in season 4 after her season 2 exit where she failed to attend the reunion and was reportedly fired.
Mary admits she needed time away from the Bravo shows and Utah.
Despite a controversial return in season 4, Mary is now a full-time housewife in season 5 with new friendships and conflicts.

Mary Cosby rejoined The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City in season 4 after her season 2 exit. She failed to attend the reunion and was reportedly fired from the franchise.

Things apparently got too heated for the reality TV star, from her arguments with her co-star to the accusations she was leading a cult. Mary admits she needed more than time away from the Bravo shows; she needed time away from Utah. “I did travel to my home in Indiana … I was there for the longest,” she admitted.

Mary returned to RHOSLC in season 4 after a one-season break. While she didn't get her snowflake back, she appeared in a friend role and appeared sporadically throughout the dramatic fourth season of the Utah-based reality show. It was announced earlier this year she would be playing a larger role as a housewife in season 5.

Bravo revealed that she is returning full-time with "her fiery remarks and 2003 Dom Pérignon. Mary re-immerses herself in the group, making amends with Whitney and Heather after her name-calling, and a deep and unexpected friendship develops with Angie. Although she has a new ally and confidant, Mary and Meredith’s longstanding friendship is on thin ice as they struggle to see eye-to-eye."

Why Mary Cosby Left Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City After Season 2

When Mary Cosby departed RHOSLC in February 2022, a source told Page Six that she “did not enjoy her time on the show or form any strong bonds with the ladies.”

Fans thought Mary had been fired from the show due to her failure to attend the reunion. Famously, housewives who fail to attend reunions threaten their place on the show and their paycheck.

“She knew her fate on the show by not attending the reunion.”

"Andy [Cohen] had a very long list of questions for her, but she bailed. She's been MIA so no one knows why, but with the backlash and scandals going on involving her, it's not too hard to figure out," a production insider explained, according to Page Six.

Insiders claimed Mary was worried about being grilled about her racist remarks towards her co-star Jennie Nguyen, who was later fired for her own racist social media comments.

Mary denies this is why she didn't attend the reunion. “The only thing I have to say about the reunion is, I didn’t go because it was one-sided,” Mary said during a Twitter Spaces. “Everyone heard one side of what they felt. They told lies. I was not going to get on the reunion for a four-part reunion and talk about this guy that has passed.”

During the season 4 reunion, Andy Cohen asked Mary why she chose not to attend. Mary told the WWHL host that she felt mistreated by her fellow housewives and was upset about rumors, although she did not specify the rumors. Fans guessed she meant claims about her church being a cult in which she made money from those who attended.

Mary later admitted that the time away from reality TV and Salt Lake City was beneficial to her.

“I did travel to my home in Indiana … I was there for the longest,” she said. “Meredith [Marks] would reach out to me, but I wouldn’t answer the phone. … She really kept being a good friend to me during that time … [but] she was just too connected to the show, and I had to disconnect myself in order to heal.”

Mary Cosby's Role During Season 4 Of RHOSLC

On season 4 of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake, Mary Cosby appeared in a friend role alongside Lisa Barlow, Heather Gay, Meredith Marks, Whitney Rose, Monica Garcia and Angie Katsanevas.

Meredith Marks was delighted to have her friend back on the show after a season break. "I was really excited to have Mary back because I think she brings a very unusual humor to the show," Marks told PEOPLE before season 4 aired. "I also like that she's pretty direct and doesn't really hold her opinions back, so I thought it was great to have her back."

During her time in a supporting role, Mary delivered numerous memorable lines. At Heather Gay's fresh start party, Mary declares that no one has read Heather's book Bad Mormon. She also sent Lisa Barlow a barrage of mean texts, which Lisa read out during a confessional on season 4.

"The last text message I got from Mary wasn't exactly nice," Lisa explains in the open episode of season 4. "Lisa, you're the biggest idiot… You're a black widow… You are the biggest liar in Utah... You'll kill people with your nasty tequila… You remind me of a witch… You evil person… You're not interesting… You're a horrible human being."

It appears Mary had a positive experience on her return to reality television. "Thank you everyone that supported [and] watched RHOSLC [Season] 4," she shared alongside a photo of her in her blue RHOSLC reunion gown. "This was a great season. Thank you for being [a part] of it [and] I love you!! Mary M."

Did Fans Want Mary Cosby To Return To Real Housewives?

Mary Cosby looking shocked — Mary Cosby has been accused of being a cult leader

Due to allegations about Mary Cosby running her church like a cult, as well as the racist remarks she’s made toward former Vietnamese-American castmate Jennie Nguyen, she is not a popular housewife. Her return to the franchise has been hugely divisive among reality TV fans, with some thinking her return inappropriate, while other viewers enjoy the energy she brings to the show.

While some fans think Mary is a problematic person, many applaud her cutting remarks, one-liners and expressive facial features. The Faith Temple Pentecostal Church preacher has unapologetically called Whitney Rose “little miss” and Heather Gay “incestuous.”

Fans found her behavior in season 4 a bit offputting. In a Reddit thread asking why she was returning to season 5, a user noted her failure to include herself in any activities: "She doesn't interact with the group, participate in trust exercises, swim, etc. She's not interesting in any way. She has a terrible personality. Even her drama is bunk. So, I'm having a hard time trying to figure out why they had her back on the show."

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 5 starts on Bravo on September 18th.