Reality television star Conner Leavitt has reacted to growing speculation that his costars Mayci Neeley and Layla Taylor may leave Secret Lives of Mormon Wives after season six. Speaking exclusively to E! News correspondent Will Marfuggi following his elimination from Dancing With the Stars on Sept. 15, Leavitt addressed rumors surrounding the future of the Hulu reality series.
"That's news to me, if that's true," Leavitt said. "I don't know if that's actually true. Whatever people decide, it's up to them."
The 32-year-old personality, who is married to Whitney Leavitt, offered his reaction after fellow cast member Mikayla Matthews publicly announced her departure from the show on Sept. 14. Matthews, 26, shared her decision on Instagram, stating that "no amount of money worth going against my morals" by remaining in the cast.
"I’ve said from the beginning of this that I’m not comfortable being a part of something that continues to platform behavior I don’t agree," Matthews wrote in her post, adding that her decision was influenced by "my own experience growing up in a home with multiple forms of abuse."
Leavitt expressed support for Matthews' choice while reflecting on her time with the franchise. "I can't imagine that was an easy decision for Mikayla," he told E! News. "She's been a part of MomTok and Secret Lives since the beginning. So, for her to make that decision, it means to me that it must be really important to her, and I'm really proud of her for standing up for whatever she believes in."
He added that he would miss working alongside her. "But at the end of the day, I'm going to miss her. I'm going to miss Mikayla. I'm sure the audience is going to miss Mikayla. But I just wish nothing but the best for her and her family."
Matthews' exit prompted both Taylor and Neeley to comment on their own futures with the program. Taylor shared on her Instagram Story, as reported by People, that she loves Matthews and described the situation as "an impossible situation for everyone involved but I’m finishing out season 6 and then tbd." Neeley similarly posted on TikTok, writing that she is "finishing this current season we are filming and then not sure after that!" E! News reached out to representatives for both cast members but did not receive a response.
Mid-September Television Premieres
As the future cast of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives remains unconfirmed, a wide range of television programming is arriving on screens. Daytime talk show The Jennifer Hudson Show kicked off its fifth season on Sept. 14 under Warner Bros. Television Group, featuring guest appearances by Tom Cruise, Doja Cat, and Jamie Foxx.
On Sept. 15, ABC premiered season 35 of Dancing With the Stars, where contestants including Ciara Miller and Maura Higgins compete for the Mirrorball Trophy. The broadcast network also brought back drama series R.J. Decker for its second season on Sept. 15, starring Scott Speedman as a detective investigating new cases.
Investigation Discovery launched Toxic on Sept. 15, a series hosted by Elizabeth Chambers that explores intimate partner violence and domestic abuse across the United States through first-hand accounts from survivors and their families. BritBox also introduced Agatha Christie's Tommy & Tuppence on Sept. 15, marking the first contemporary English-language television adaptation of the author's mystery stories about a crime-solving duo.
Unscripted and Drama Returns
Bravo premiered season seven of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City on Sept. 16. The new season follows cast members Lisa Barlow, Mary Cosby, Heather Gay, Angie Katsanevas, Meredith Marks, Bronwyn Newport, and Whitney Rose, alongside friends Britani Bateman and newcomer Ashley Quai, as they travel to San Francisco for St. Patrick's Day and visit Hawaii.
Apple TV released the sixth season of espionage drama Slow Horses on Sept. 16. The series stars Academy Award-winning actor Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb, the head of MI5's Slough House department, who leads a team of disgraced intelligence agents on the run following high-stakes maneuvering by executive Diana Taverner.
Prime Video debuted Neagley on Sept. 16, a spinoff series from the Reacher franchise based on Lee Child's novels. Maria Sten stars as private investigator Frances Neagley, a former military protege of Jack Reacher, played by Alan Ritchson, who investigates the death of a friend in Chicago. On the same date, Paramount+ launched Golden Axe, an animated homage to Sega's 1989 video game following warriors Ax Battler, Tyris Flare, and Gilius Thunderhead as they battle Death Adder alongside novice adventurer Hampton Squib.
NBC and Peacock premiered The Traitors: New Blood on Sept. 17. Hosted by Emmy winner Alan Cumming in the Scottish Highlands, the season selected 22 everyday Americans from over 80,000 applicants. Netflix also released Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story on Sept. 17, focusing on the unsolved 19th-century New England murder case.
New Series and Returning Favorites
AMC+ introduced mystery series Yaga on Sept. 17, starring Noah Reid as private investigator Rapp exploring the disappearance of heir Henry Park, played by Hudson Williams, in the town of Whittock alongside cast members Clark Backo and Carrie-Anne Moss. Starz premiered season two of prequel series Outlander: Blood of My Blood on Sept. 18, starring Jeremy Irvine and Hermione Corfield as Henry and Julia Beauchamp, alongside Jamie Roy and Harriet Slater depicting the 1715 Jacobite Rising.
HBO launched Jay-Z in 8 on Sept. 18, an eight-part series marking the 30th anniversary of rapper JAY-Z's debut album Reasonable Doubt. The project features discussions between JAY-Z and director Rick Rubin alongside classic tracks such as "99 Problems," "Brooklyn's Finest," and "4:44." Paramount+ returned with season two of MobLand on Sept. 18, continuing the saga of the Harrigan crime family and fixer Harry Da Souza, while HGTV debuted a new season of Scariest House in America hosted by comedian Retta.
MGM+ premiered psychological thriller American Hostage on Sept. 20, detailing radio reporter Fred Heckman's 1970s hostage crisis interview with Tony Kiritsis. On the same date, Netflix added sports comedy series Kevin Hart's Cold as Balls, featuring ice-tub interviews with professional athletes.
Fall Television Highlights
NBC launched season 30 of The Voice on Sept. 21, returning coaches Adam Levine and Kelly Clarkson alongside new coaches Riley Green and Queen Latifah. On the same night, NBC premiered drama Line of Fire starring Peter Krause as a law enforcement family targeted following a U.S. Marshal's death. CBS debuted documentary retrospective Judge Judy: Unfiltered, Unforgettable on Sept. 22, detailing the career of Judge Judy Sheindlin from Brooklyn to family court and daytime television.
On Sept. 23, CBS premiered a new season of Survivor in Fiji, featuring 21 first-time castaways hosted by Jeff Probst. Apple TV launched comedy series Brothers on Sept. 23, starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as fictionalized versions of themselves living on a Texas ranch alongside Holland Taylor as Ma Mac. Prime Video also released romantic comedy film adaptation The Love Hypothesis on Sept. 23, starring Lili Reinhart, Rachel Marsh, Nicholas Duvernay, and Tom Bateman based on Ali Hazelwood's novel.
Late September Releases
Fox premiered season five of Special Forces: World's Toughest Test on Sept. 24, featuring celebrities Candace Cameron Bure, Mauricio Umansky, Brandi Glanville, and Oliver Hudson in Malaysia. FX released season 13 of American Horror Story on Sept. 24, reuniting cast members Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, Gabourey Sidibe, and Jessica Lange.
Paramount+ launched reality series Team Moms: Baseball on Sept. 24, following parents at Legendary Prep Academy in Scottsdale, Arizona. Starz debuted spinoff series S.W.A.T. Exiles on Sept. 25, starring Shemar Moore as Sergeant Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson leading an experimental recruit unit. Netflix premiered a new season of The Great British Baking Show on Sept. 25, introducing Nigella Lawson alongside Paul Hollywood as a judge. National Geographic released documentary series Chilean Mine Rescue: Race Against Time on Sept. 25, featuring reporting from former ABC correspondent Jeff Kofman on the 69-day underground rescue operation.
