Bethenny Frankel might have made it sound like she she wasn't ready to return to the Real Housewives of New York, but according to a new report she was negotiating her contract behind the scenes for months. A source close to the reality star says that Frankel is rejoining the show hoping that she is going to be the "focal point" of the new season.

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Radar Online reports on Friday that Frankel is also hoping for a lot of screen time and that she was actually negotiating details of her new contract with Bravo producers for several months before signing her name on the dotted line.

An insider tells the site, "They've been in deep negotiations and she is definitely ready to return to Bravo."

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Bravo exec Andy Cohen also said, "Bethenny remains as one of the most popular housewives we've ever had on any of the shows. Her return was something we've been working on since June."

He added, "Bethenny said to me, 'You know, I'm coming off this really high-profile failure of my talk show, my marriage fell apart.' So she is really starting over. It's kind of an amazing unique moment for her to rejoin the show."

It was reported earlier this week that Frankel will be rejoining her old co-stars on the show for the upcoming season, including Ramona Singer and Sonja Morgan.

According to Us Weekly on Monday, Frankel released a statement with Bravo saying, "I'm genuinely excited, with a side of slightly nervous, for my return to The Real Housewives of New York City."

She added, "Bravo has always been the place on television where I have the freedom to be unfiltered, honest and inappropriate, with an audience who has been with me from the beginning. I can't wait to see what this next chapter brings for all of us. Watch what happens!"

Tags: Bethenny Frankel