“THE Real Housewives of New York” is welcoming another “housewife” to the fold.
Sonja Morgan — a real-life friend of cast member Countess LuAnn de Lesseps — has been tapped to appear on the reality series later this season.
As the ex-wife of John Adams Morgan, the great-grandson of financier John Pierpont Morgan, she has the right kind of pedigree to fit in with the rest of the Manhattan faux-socialites.
The 45-year-old blonde has been profiled in society magazine Quest, has a young daughter and, at one point, had a career of her own as a movie producer.
Under the banner Sonja Productions, Morgan executive produced the 2006 thriller “The Marsh,” starring Gabrielle Anwar and Forest Whitaker. (Now, she’s listed as the defendant in two legal cases brought by Hannibal Pictures.)
According to the New York Social Diary Web site — which identifies her as “Tremont-Morgan,” it’s uncertain what name she’ll be credited under on the TV series — Morgan says she graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a bachelors in marketing.
She put those skills to good use as the “hostess” or “phone receptionist” at the Italian eatery San Pietro in the mid-90s — she was fired after the 1994 Quest profile on her ran — before marrying JP Morgan’s great-grandson, with whom she has a daughter.
Now that she’s single, she’s gotten 11 votes on the “Most Eligible Singles on Facebook!” application. She’s also a Facebook fan of P.Diddy, the Hamptons Cupcake Gallery as well as photographer Patrick McMullan and two of the “Housewives,” the Countess and Bethenny Frankel.
Contrary to reports, Morgan will not be replacing Frankel, who is developing her own reality show about her love life and career as a natural foods chef for Bravo. The network has confirmed that all six of the “Housewives” will continue to be the stars of the show’s third season.
However, a source says that Morgan will definitely appear in the series, thanks to her connection with the Countess. The extent of Morgan’s involvement — exactly how much airtime she’ll receive after the episodes have been edited — has yet to be determined by producers.
Still, with Frankel preparing for her own series, it’s likely that Bravo is looking to Morgan as a future “Housewives” regular, should the series be picked up for a fourth season.