There's A Big Hint That Denise Richards Is THIS Close To Joining ‘RHOBH’

Following what has felt like an eternity of speculation, Jerry O'Connell hinted that Denise Richards is joining Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, making her participation in the reality series sound like a done deal. (Bustle has reached out to both Bravo and a rep for Richards, but did not immediately hear back.) While news of Richards joining the cast of the popular Bravo reality series has yet to be officially confirmed, O'Connell's comments seem to suggest that an announcement could be just around the corner.

In an interview with E! News, which was shared by the outlet on July 26, Jerry revealed that he and his wife Rebecca Romijn had lunch with Richards and her boyfriend to celebrate a secretive “new endeavor.” O'Connell, who winked his way through the interview, went on to gush about the double date and even pulled out his phone to show off a pic of the sitdown, explaining:

“That would be myself, that would be my wife, that would be Denise Richards and her super hot boyfriend Aaron the eve before Denise is starting her new endeavor that we’re very excited for her to be starting."

Romijn also seemed to spill the tea on Richards' involvement, sharing a Twitter post of the snapshot with the caption:

"Such an exciting day having lunch with @DENISE_RICHARDS and her hot bf @AaronPhypers on the day before her new endeavor (wink wink) Break legs and have fun! Xo"

In addition to being close enough pals with Richards to get the scoop himself, the self-proclaimed Real Housewives fan is most likely privy to extra-special intel due to the fact that he recently signed on to co-executive produce and host Bravo's new late night talk show, Real Men Watch Bravo, which is set to premiere on the network this fall.

According to the official announcement, shared by The Hollywood Reporter, Real Men Watch Bravo "will offer unprecedented access to the male point of view pertaining to all things Bravo and entertainment." The statement adds that O'Connell is "truly a walking encyclopedia of Bravo history." So, if anybody knows about secret, up-and-coming new cast members joining any Real Housewives show, it's going to be O'Connell. The actor is, in fact, such a big fan of the network's reality circuit that he's admitted to trying to convince his wife to join the cast of RHOBH in the past.

Speaking to E! News, he explained, “Look this is just a plot for me to try and get my wife to become one of the Housewives of Beverly Hills. I beg her every season. I’m trying."

Despite her husband urging, it seems that Romijn may have mixed feelings about the subject, as she jumped in to tell E!, “I love talking about it. I’ve been talking about but I’ve never said I wanted to be one." The only problem, Romijn said, is that she doesn't think she'd fit in with the over-the-top drama of the show. "To be honest, I think I’d be terrible at it. I’m not one for drama," she added.

As far as Richards' rumored casting in RHOBH Season 9 is concerned, it seems that she would be a good fit for the show's landscape. A source for People indicates that "she has close relationships with many of the women in real life, including Kyle Richards and Lisa Rinna." Richards is also no stranger to reality television. In addition to her show Denise Richards: It’s Complicated, which ran for two seasons on E!, she made a cameo appearance on RHOBH in Season 5, and was on Dancing with the Stars Season 8.

Nearly eight years into the series, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills remains one of the most popular branches of the reality franchise. And it goes without saying that the addition of Denise Richards would only make things that much more interesting. Here's hoping fans get an official announcement soon.