Los Angeles [US], August 27 : Emmy-winning actor Leah Remini is set to join the cast of Bravo's 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' for its upcoming 16th season, with production already underway, E! News reported.
Bravo confirmed Remini's casting to E! News, with production having kicked off earlier this summer.
The 56-year-old actor is best known for her work on television series including "The King of Queens" and "Kevin Can Wait." However, she is also familiar with reality television, having starred in TLC's "Leah Remini: It's All Relative" in 2014.
Remini also fronted the docuseries "Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath," which investigated the Church of Scientology after she left the organization in 2013.
Remini, who shares daughter Sofia, 22, with ex-husband Angela Pagan, will join returning full-time cast members Kyle Richards, Erika "Jayne" Girardi, Dorit Kemsley, Bozoma Saint John, Rachel Zoe and Sutton Stracke, according to Variety.
Former cast members Kathy Hilton and Jennifer Tilly are also returning for season 16, although they will appear as "friends" of the cast.
E! News has reached out to Remini's representatives for comment but has not received a response.
Remini, who has been longtime friends with Jennifer Lopez, is not the only new face joining the franchise. "Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles" alum Tracy Tutor has also revealed that she is returning to Bravo for the upcoming season.
"The secret's officially out," Tutor wrote alongside a diamond emoji on Instagram on August 19. "I'm joining the cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and I could not be more excited for this next chapter."
"Beverly Hills is home. I've raised my girls here, built my career here," the 51-year-old continued. "Now apparently I've decided to let you all even further into my life."
Tutor, a California native, shares daughters Juliet, 20, and Scarlett, 17, with ex-husband Jason Maltas. She admitted she was both nervous and excited about taking on her new role, but said she was ready to "get into some trouble...."
The upcoming season has already seen a cast shake-up, with Amanda Frances announcing on August 5 that she would not be returning after one season on the show, according to E! News.
"My time on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is complete," the 40-year-old entrepreneur wrote in an Instagram statement. "Saying yes to this show was one of the boldest, wildest, most clarifying things I've ever done."
The entrepreneur added, "Grateful for the experience. The women. The viewers who saw me, rooted for me, challenged me, quoted me, misunderstood me, defended me, found my work, bought my books, or simply watched me try to explain metaphysics in a room full of diamonds and side-eyes."
With Remini and Tutor joining the cast, alongside a mix of returning housewives and familiar "friends," season 16 of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" is shaping up to bring a new dynamic to the long-running Bravo reality franchise, according to E! News.