WITH OR WITHOUT “T-RAV”

|| By FITSNEWS || There will be a third season of Southern Charm after all …

Producers of the Charleston, S.C.-based Bravo TV reality program have confirmed to FITS that a third season is in the works, although the participation of 52-year-old Lowcountry playboy Thomas Ravenel remains very much up in the air.

Ravenel has previously stated he would not participate in a third season – although his word isn’t exactly “bond.”

“They’ve lied to me so many times but the last lie was just pathological,” he recently said, referring to the show’s producers. “Had they just told me the truth I would’ve stayed on. I actually hope they sue me. One of my hobbies is getting some evil person or corporation to sue me, and when I counter-sue I never lose.”

Southern Charm co-star Shep Rose has disputed Ravenel’s contention that the show was “over.”

“Thomas doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” Rose said. “He’s not a bad guy, but he has a few drinks and makes declarative statements.”

Ravenel has been in an off-again, on-again, off-again, on again relationship for the better part of the last two years with 23-year-old Kathryn Dennis – his Southern Charm co-star and the scion of two of the Palmetto State’s most prominent political families.

The couple have a one-year-old daughter, Kensington Calhoun Ravenel – and Dennis is rumored to be pregnant with another child, reports of which first broke on FITS two months ago.

Is Ravenel the father?

Good question … (not to mention an excellent third season plot line).

Last we heard from Ravenel he was engaged to an as-yet-unidentified woman – rumored to be Charleston, S.C. attorney Meredith Hastings (pic here). Ravenel deleted the Facebook post announcing his impending nuptials, though, claiming his account had been hacked.

Ratings for Southern Charm dipped during the middle of its second season, but by the time the season finale rolled around in May the show’s audiences were surging. A reunion show was also held, which usually signals the network’s intention to renew the franchise for another year.

Of course the end of Southern Charm‘s second season didn’t mean an end to the drama associated with Ravenel – whose attempt at a political comeback last year flamed out spectacularly.

Our bet?

Ravenel will be a part of the program moving forward. As bad as he is at life, he’s a natural for reality TV … and there are obviously enough people who want to watch the train wreck for everybody involved to make some money off the deal.

Viva la free market, right?