Reality star Amanda Batula has revealed that unrelenting online harassment and fan bullying played a major role in her decision to walk away from the upcoming second season of the Bravo reality series “In the City.”
Batula, 35, addressed the mounting pressure in a direct message shared via Instagram on Wednesday, pointing directly to hostile internet commentary. The swimwear designer explained that the severe negativity made her reluctant to return to television production.
“The continued hate from fan accounts and the internet is a huge reason why I decided I wasn’t ready to film again and put myself back out there,” Batula wrote in the message. She added that the intensity of the bullying made her question the value of public exposure, asking who would want to subject themselves to constant public scrutiny and criticism for the entertainment of others.
News of Batula’s departure surfaced when sources offered differing accounts regarding the circumstances behind her exit. According to one insider, the network had sought her return for the sophomore season in a more limited, part-time capacity. That source claimed Batula decided to leave entirely after showrunners refused to allow her boyfriend, 31-year-old West Wilson, to participate in filming.
However, other insiders offered alternative explanations for the stalled negotiations. A second source disputed the casting claim regarding Wilson, maintaining that it simply was not the appropriate time for the couple to appear on the program. Meanwhile, a third source alleged that network executives were unwilling to meet Batula’s financial expectations for her salary.
Despite Batula’s exit, production on the forthcoming season of “In the City” is already underway. The remaining cast members—including her estranged husband, Kyle Cooke, and former friend Lindsay Hubbard—are currently filming alongside two new couples and a single newcomer.
Cooke has made his frustrations clear regarding the situation, openly placing blame on Wilson. In the early hours of Wednesday morning, the Loverboy founder left a scathing comment on a photo dump posted by Wilson on Instagram, writing that Wilson had “blew my ex’s life and career up.” Cooke later deleted the comment.
Friction among the cast stems from a turbulent history that unfolded earlier this year. Batula and Wilson sparked widespread controversy in March when they revealed they were secretly dating following weeks of speculation. The revelation arrived just two months after Batula and Cooke announced their separation, and it followed a previous romance between Wilson and Batula’s former best friend and “Summer House” co-star Ciara Miller.
The unfolding scandal alienated the couple from their fellow cast members, costing Batula her friendship with Miller and Wilson his friendship with Cooke. The fallout was a central focus at the “Summer House” Season 10 reunion, where Miller labeled Batula a “snake in the grass.” Bravo production crews captured the dramatic aftermath for both “In the City” and a surprise bonus episode of “Summer House.”
Following the controversy, neither Batula nor Wilson returned for the eleventh season of “Summer House.” Since the initial fallout, the couple has continued to showcase their relationship publicly across New York City and on social media. While their future with Bravo remains uncertain, reports indicate that Wilson is slated to make a return to reality television as part of the celebrity cast for the third season of Netflix’s “Million Dollar Secret.”
