The life for a Real Housewives star can often be difficult. What's portrayed on screen may only be part of the story. It may be the story that the individual wants to share and portray. For one OG of The Real Housewives of Potomac star, her single main-cast stint opened her up to the world of reality fame, but it's what happened when the cameras stopped rolling that is most heartbreaking.
Katie Rost was part of the first season of The Real Housewives of Potomac. Alongside RHOP mainstays Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby, Robyn Dixon, Karen Huger, and the shortlived Charrisse Jackson, Rost was the tried and true Potomac girl. No stranger to the elite socialite life, her life as a model seemingly prepared her for this spotlight. But something just didn't click. Lasting only a season, the mother of three was just not cut out like the other powerhouses in her cast. Then came life after Potomac. Sadly, it wasn't pretty.
Katie Rost Was Embroiled in a Heated Custody Battle
Though she appeared on numerous occasions following Season 1, her main storyline on the show was focused on her party-planning tantrums and desire to have her then-partner, Andrew Martin, pop the question. By the time the reunion aired, the pair had called it quits. And so had Bravo. She was demoted to a guest spot. She later was elevated to "Friend of" during Season 4, but her full-time status was gone for good. Perhaps that's where the trouble came in.
Katie's Rost since RHOP has not been easy in any way. Rost, in 2019, suffered a miscarriage. In a since-deleted post on Instagram, Rost's partner at the time shared the news via a graphic image. This was while she was enduring a tumultuous custody battle with her ex-husband, Dr. James Orsini. Speaking to Page Six, Rost revealed, “I began to bleed profusely while I listened to Judge Mecca deny me my request to be reunited with my children. Distraught and afraid, I got into the shower and laid down to cleanse my body. The baby aborted, and I was in intense pain.” Page Six continued to document the complicated battle for custody of her three children. Having lost custody due to her substance abuse issues over the years.
Katie Rost Has Battled Addiction
Due to years of trauma surrounding her use of alcohol and prescribed medications, Katie Rost has found herself in rehab multiple times since 2022. Following her stint in 2023, her reported second stay, Rost took to her social media account to share what had occurred. In her video, Rost revealed, “I did really, really well for a long period of time and then had some stressors in my life this past month, and things got a little out of control, and I started drinking again." Having also gone off her medications, Rost revealed she checked herself into a treatment facility with the help of family and friends. After her time in the facility, the former socialite had reportedly taken a minimum-wage job at an organic market to make ends meet.
Now, a year later, Rost has confirmed that she has once again checked herself into a facility. Via her Instagram, Rost wrote, "Just finished 28days of Rehab at Mountain Manor Treatment Center, I’m soooooo proud of myself. I didn’t walk into this on a winning streak,(shout out to #jellyroll) but today I have such a sense of victory! Let’s gooooooooo." Only a day later, Rost then revealed that she would be moving into a sober living house for the next chapter of her journey. Here's hoping 2025 will be a fruitful year for Rost.
Many fans have desired to see the return of Katie Rost over the years as they've felt the franchise start to get stale. Following Season 8, many called for her time to be back as a cherry blossom, despite the reality of her personal situation. With Season 9 gearing up as a fresh new start, Rost might still have to beg Andy Cohen for another shot at the show. Given the situation with Karen Huger's DUI though, her road back to Potomac may be more difficult. We all know that Rost can roast the ladies, but would a return to the show actually be to her benefit? The environment might just be too much too soon.
The Real Housewives of Potomac airs Sundays at 8:000pm on Bravo. All episodes are available to stream on Peacock.
