They were the original double trouble of Montauk.
If you watched the first two seasons of Bravo’s Summer House, you basically couldn't escape the whirlwind energy of Lauren and Ashley Wirkus. Known collectively as the Wirkus twins, these two were the foundation of the show’s early "share house" DNA. They weren't just random cast members; they were the roommates who brought the watermelon smashing, the high-decibel sisterly squabbles, and that specific brand of Hamptons chaos that modern seasons sometimes lack.
But then, they just... left.
One minute Lauren was navigating a confusing, multi-season situationship with Carl Radke, and the next, both sisters were gone from the screen. It felt abrupt. For fans who started watching during the "Giggly Squad" era or the Paige DeSorbo years, the Wirkus twins might feel like a fever dream from a different lifetime. But for the OGs? Their departure marked the first major identity shift for the franchise.
The Wirkus Twins on Summer House: Why they mattered
The show initially launched as a Vanderpump Rules crossover. Do you remember that awkward transition where Stassi Schroeder and her crew went out to the Hamptons? That was our introduction to the Wirkus sisters. They were tall, blonde, and incredibly protective of one another.
Ashley was the "settled" twin. She was already married to Brad McAtee during her time on the show, which gave her a different perspective than the rest of the hard-partying cast. She was often the voice of reason—or at least the voice of judgment—when things got messy. Lauren, on the other hand, was the single twin. Her storyline was almost entirely consumed by her pursuit of Carl.
It was painful to watch at times. Honestly, we've all been there—liking someone way more than they like us. Lauren wanted commitment; Carl wanted to be "Carl 1.0." This friction fueled almost every dinner party argument in seasons 1 and 2.
The twins weren't just there for the drama, though. They represented a specific reality TV archetype: the "real" friend group. Back then, the cast actually knew each other outside of filming. The Wirkus twins were legitimate friends with Kyle Cooke and Lindsay Hubbard. When they left, the show began its slow transition toward a cast of influencers and professional reality stars, rather than a group of people who actually shared a lease in the off-season.
Where are Lauren and Ashley Wirkus now?
The "Wirkus Circus" didn't stop when the cameras went dark. It just moved to California.
After Season 2, the twins famously exited the show. There were rumors of firings and "creative refreshes," but the official line was that their lives were simply moving in different directions. Ashley had already moved to Southern California to be with her husband, and Lauren eventually followed her lead.
Life after the Hamptons
If you check their Instagrams today, you won't see many oversized bottles of rosé or 4:00 AM dance parties. You'll see strollers.
Ashley has been busy building a family in San Diego. She and Brad have two children, Dean and Cole. She’s leaned heavily into the "mom-fluencer" space, sharing the realities of motherhood, home decor, and fashion. It’s a far cry from fighting with roommates about who didn't clean the kitchen in a $5 million rental.
Lauren’s path was a bit more of a whirlwind. After years of the Carl drama being televised, she found her person away from the spotlight. She married David Raih, a football coach, in a stunning ceremony in 2020. They now have two daughters, Goldie and Romy.
It’s interesting to see how the "single twin" narrative flipped. Lauren seems incredibly settled. She often posts about the "chaos" of having two toddlers, which, to be fair, is probably more exhausting than a weekend at a beach club.
The truth about their departure from Bravo
Let's get real for a second. Most people think they were fired.
While Bravo rarely uses the word "fired"—preferring "parting ways" or "not returning"—the shift between Season 2 and Season 3 was massive. The producers wanted a younger, fresher energy. They brought in Paige DeSorbo, Hannah Berner, and Jordan Verroi.
The Wirkus twins, along with Stephen McGee, were the casualties of that reboot.
There was also the "Carl factor." By the end of Season 2, the Lauren and Carl storyline had been beaten to death. There was nowhere else for it to go. Once Ashley moved to California full-time, keeping Lauren on the show without her twin felt like losing half a character. Their power was in their duo-dynamic. Without the "twin" element, Lauren would have just been another girl in the house struggling with a guy who wouldn't commit.
Why the Wirkus twins still have a legacy
Even though they haven't been on the show in years, the Wirkus twins are still brought up in Reddit threads and fan forums. Why?
Because they were unapologetic.
They didn't care about "looking cool" for the cameras. If they were mad, they screamed. If they were hungry, they ate. They brought a level of raw, unfiltered emotion that feels a bit more curated in recent seasons.
- The Carl Radke Timeline: They were the first to really experience the "Carl-mageddon." Watching back now, Lauren’s frustrations seem much more valid considering what we know about Carl’s later seasons.
- Family First: They showed a different side of the Hamptons. It wasn't just about hooking up; it was about the intense, sometimes overbearing loyalty of family.
- The Transition: They were the bridge between the old-school Bravo style and the new "Summer House" era.
How to keep up with the Wirkus Circus today
If you're missing their energy, you don't have to wait for a "Legacy" season that probably isn't coming. The sisters have stayed very active in the digital space.
They launched a blog and brand called "Wirkus Twins" where they cover everything from travel to parenting. They’ve also been guests on various podcasts, occasionally dropping nuggets of info about their time on the show. Interestingly, they seem to have maintained a decent relationship with some of their former castmates, though the distance between New York and California makes reunions rare.
Actionable steps for fans:
- Check out their podcast appearances: If you want the "behind the scenes" tea on their exit, look for their interviews on Swell Entertainment or various "Reality Tea" style pods from around 2019-2020.
- Follow the Southern California shift: Most of the original cast has moved on. If you follow Lauren and Ashley on Instagram (@laurenwirkus and @ashleywirkus), you’ll see the "grown-up" version of the Summer House dream.
- Rewatch Seasons 1 and 2: To truly appreciate the growth (or lack thereof) of the current cast, you have to see where it started. The Wirkus twins' era is a time capsule of 2017-2018 East Coast culture.
The Wirkus twins might not be throwing watermelons anymore, but they successfully navigated the hardest part of reality TV: the transition back to real life. They took their 15 minutes of fame and turned it into a sustainable, quiet, and seemingly very happy life on the West Coast. That’s a win in any book.
Next Steps for Reality Fans:
If you are tracking the evolution of the Summer House cast, your next move should be looking into the business ventures the original cast members started after leaving the show. Many of them, including the Wirkus sisters, leveraged their platform to enter the lifestyle and wellness space, which has become the standard "exit strategy" for Bravo stars. Compare their current business models to the "influencer" paths of the newer cast members to see how the industry has shifted over the last decade.