Bravo has ordered a three-part limited series, Surviving Mormonism with Heather Gay, in which the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City cast member speaks with abuse survivors, former members and past local leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints about experiences they say were ignored or minimized. The hourlong episodes debut November 11 on Bravo, with all parts available on Peacock the next day. A teaser shows Gay saying she was “overwhelmed and horrified” by what she learned while filming.
The project builds on Gay’s public break with the faith and her memoir work, using her profile to draw attention to allegations from people who left the church or who say they struggled to report abuse. Episode descriptions highlight interviews with figures who previously advocated church-adjacent practices and have since reversed course, alongside survivors who describe being discouraged from going to law enforcement.
The series arrives at a moment of renewed scrutiny of how religious institutions handle abuse claims. In past statements unrelated to the show, the church has said it operates a helpline that instructs local leaders to stop abuse, care for victims and comply with reporting laws, and it has criticized media investigations that it says mischaracterized those protocols. Advocates and former members counter that clergy-penitent privilege and internal guidance can deter reporting, a debate that surfaces across states with varying mandatory-reporting rules.
Bravo’s announcement positions Surviving Mormonism as an effort to “fracture” an idealized image and “empower victims to share their experiences,” signaling the network’s push into issue-driven unscripted programming. The first episode, “A Bad Mormon,” precedes a day-and-date streaming release intended to broaden reach beyond cable viewers.
