Mike Shouhed may not be part of Bravo’s newest Persian-centered spinoff, but that hasn’t stopped him from making his position known.
Following the premiere of The Valley: Persian Style, the former Shahs of Sunset star appeared to distance himself from the project — and subtly remind fans where he believes the original magic came from.
Out of the Shahs of Sunset legacy cast, only Mercedes Javid, Golnesa “GG” Gharachedaghi, and Reza Farahan are featured as main cast members on the new series. Mike, however, is noticeably absent — something viewers quickly picked up on.
When a fan recently asked him directly whether he would be making an appearance on The Valley: Persian Style, Mike didn’t hesitate.
“No,” he replied.
The blunt answer came amid renewed discussion about Shahs of Sunset’s abrupt pause in 2022, which followed Mike’s arrest and criminal charges stemming from allegations of domestic violence. While some fans have long speculated that the controversy contributed to the show’s downfall, others — including those close to production — have pushed back on that narrative. Regardless, Shahs never returned.
As The Valley: Persian Style moves forward with a revamped cast and a new premise, Mike appears uninterested in revisiting the franchise in its current form.
Days after the spinoff premiered, Mike posted a throwback photo of himself from Watch What Happens Live — a subtle callback to his peak Bravo days.
“Can not be duplicated,” he wrote on Instagram.
He followed that up by referring to himself as an “OG,” a comment that didn’t go unnoticed by fans who interpreted it as a comparison — not just to the new cast, but to the concept itself.
The Valley: Persian Style introduces a broader group of personalities, including Reza Farahan and Adam Farahan, Golnesa Gharachedaghi, Mercedes Javid and Tommy Feight, Tanin Nikpey and Greg Haroutunian, Sky Asakari and Bamshad Akbar, Natasha and Amir Boroumand, and Reza Jackson.
But for Mike, the message seems clear: while the franchise may continue under a new name, he doesn’t see it as a continuation of what Shahs of Sunset once was.