The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Details regarding the life and recent death of Russell Armstrong continue to pour forth, with the latest report painting this reality star in a disturbingly negative light.

According to a TMZ insider, just prior to filming on season two of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Russell struck Taylor Armstrong so hard that he fractured her cheek bones and sent her to the hospital. The injuries, and subsequent photos, were "horrific," this source states.

Taylor Armstrong, Kyle Richards and Camille Grammer are all smiles in this photo. But a new report sheds light on their private pain.

Unsure how to handle the situation - would Bravo fire her for appearing uncooperative if she didn't show up for filming? - Taylor reportedly confided in Camille Grammer and Kyle Richards. She then told Russell about this conversation with her castmates.

The Bravo mole says he reacted by emailing Camille a "very threatening" message that contained "the rantings of a lunatic."

Taylor's bruises and breaks, meanwhile, required weeks to heal, delaying production on the series. Now, the actual premiere has been pushed back as the network wonders what to do about Russell's suicide.

[Photo: WENN.com]

Following a meeting between cast members and executives on Tuesday, the September 5 premiere of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills will be pushed back by at least one week, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The delay, of course, is due to the Monday night suicide of Russell Armstrong.

“People are concerned about being associated with the show and his passing,” an insider tells the publication, adding that some inside the network want to axe the season entirely. But that's unlikely to be the end result.

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More information has come out regarding the suicide of Russell Armstrong, including a chilling statement he allegedly made to his mother not long before hanging himself on Monday night.

In an interview on HLN, Russell's mother, John Ann Hotchkiss, tells host Jane Velez-Mitchell that her son confided in her just a couple weeks ago. Referring to his financial difficulties and allegations of abuse against his wife - all of which would be featured this fall on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills - Armstrong said:

Mom, they’re just going to crucify me this season... I don’t know what to do. I’ll never survive it.

Elsewhere: In an interview with ABC News, Ronald Richards, Armstrong’s lawyer, said the show's focus on a lavish lifestyle plunged Armstrong into debt.

“These couples join these shows, and then they keep trying to outdo each other and they end up spending all their money trying to sustain a lifestyle that’s unrealistic and wasn’t there prior to the show. The weekly social events, the dinners and all the BS, trying to pretend you have unlimited resources in Beverly Hills is tough."

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It's one thing to experience it, but then to watch it again on television and know that millions of other people are watching, it's going to be tough.

So said Taylor Armstrong last week about The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, a quote that referred to the focus of season two on her crumbling marriage to Russell Armstrong. Now, following his sudden, tragic death, Bravo is left to wonder: Should the show go on?

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Season 2 Trailer

The season premiere is scheduled for September 5, but Andy Cohen - Executive Vice President of Original Programming and Development and host of Watch What Happens Live - admits he isn't sure what the network will do:

"We're all still trying to process [the] very sad news, and looking at how to proceed with the series, which has finished primary production... we'll let you know what we decide when we do. In the meantime, we're sending our thoughts and prayers to Taylor and the rest of Russell's family."

Might Bravo actually axe the season? We doubt it. Edit out inappropriate scenes? Air everything as filmed? What SHOULD it do? You tell us:

New information has been revealed about the life of Russell Armstrong, the estranged ex-husband of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Taylor Armstrong, the day after he committed suicide by hanging.

According to attorny Ronald Richards, Russell had been staying at a friend's house due to major financial problems.

"His credit cards weren't working," Richards told TMZ. "He was also extremely bummed out about the divorce with Taylor. As far as a will, even if he does have a will, they don't have any assets, so I'm not sure what there would be left to leave. I am extremely saddened... I had no idea he was depressed."

Armstrong's fellow Real Housewives have also expressed their shock and remorse:

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The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills has turned more real than ever, in the most tragic of ways.

TMZ reports that Russell Armstrong, who appeared often on this Bravo series last season and who filed for divorce from Taylor Armstrong this summer in light of abuse allegations, hanged himself Monday night. He was 47.

Around 8 p.m. PST, authorities responded to a 911 call placed by one of Russell's roommates. They found his body hanging in the bathroom of his home on Mulholland Drive when they arrived.

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In case the fact that Snooki has 2.6 million Twitter followers is not enough to shake your faith in humanity, consider this:

Multiple cast members from the Real Housewives franchise are going on tour, asking fans to dole out their hard-earned money for reasons completely unknown. Tickets go on sale August 19 and start - start! - at $49.50.

"Bravo viewers like to truly engage in the shows they are passionate about," says Ellen Stone, Bravo’s senior vice president of marketing in a statement. "With The Real Housewives Live Tour, we are able to give our fans a unique, hands-on experience with their favorite cast members across franchises that they can't experience anywhere else."

Check out the complete, incomprehensible tour schedule below.

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You've really gotta admire Taylor Armstrong.

Despite going through a painful divorce, the reality star was - somehow, some way, against all odds - able to rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars by exposing her personal life on season two of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

"There were a lot more tears, a lot more pain," Armstrong tells E! News, previewing the show's September 5 return. "It's been such an emotional ride for me this year. And it's one thing to experience it, but then to watch it again on television and know that millions of other people are watching, it's going to be tough."

We're guessing the padded bank account and increased fame will soften the blow a bit.

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Prepare for chilly feet this fall, Bravo viewers. Why?

Because "season two will knock your socks off!" Adrienne Maloof gushed to Us Weekly last night when asked about The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. She specifically cited the addition of Brandi Glanville as a reason to watch.

"She kind of weaves herself in and out," Maloof said of Eddie Cibrian's ex."She is like bringing a child [to a party]. You don't know really what she is going to say. She has no filter, so that's why you want to stay tuned!"

On a more somber note, though, the new season will also feature a look at Taylor Armstrong's messy divorce.

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On September 5, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills viewers will meet Dana Wilkey.

The 37-year old event planner and close friend of Taylor Armstrong isn't technically considered a new cast member, but we'll be seeing plenty of her antics throughout the fall on Bravo. Get a preview now in this season two teaser.

So, who the heck is Dana Wilkey?

The new reality star...

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