Bravo to air 'Housewives of New Jersey'

NEW YORK, March 19 (UPI) -- Bravo has announced plans to air a new reality show called "The Real Housewives of New Jersey."

The latest entry in the "Real Housewives" franchise is to premiere May 12 and will follow "five of the most affluent Jersey Girls as they live lavish lifestyles and deal with all the drama that money can buy," the network said.

"The 'Real Housewives' franchise is a groundbreaking cultural portrait that continues to grow in popularity, with double digit gains for the latest seasons of 'Orange County' and 'New York City,' and driving over 3 million viewers for the first season of the 'Atlanta' edition," Frances Berwick, executive vice president and general manager of Bravo Media, said in a statement. "We could not be more excited to take our viewers inside the lives of this new and very different group of fabulous women from New Jersey."