Craig Conover on Season 12, Why He Almost Quit, and More (Exclusive)

Craig Conover has been on Southern Charm since it first premiered in 2014, and he’s back for Season 12 this November. However, he almost didn’t return for the latest installment.

“Last year was probably the biggest moment in my career where I was just like, ‘Maybe this isn’t for me anymore,’” Conover, who’s partnered with State Farm ahead of Bravo Fan Fest 2026, tells TV Insider. “In the off-season, I speak around the country and I really try to promote positivity and evolving and the fact that your past doesn’t define who you are. It’s really hard to keep a show fresh after 11 seasons, but the formula, I believe, needed to evolve a little bit.”

Before filming began, though, Conover says he “got to a great place with everyone” and “whatever my goals were for this new season were met.” He points out that the cast’s “lives have grown” since the early days of Southern Charm, so it was necessary to expand the scope of what they filmed.

“We’re able to film and feature more of our cast members and friends that people love to see and our families that have come from this and our jobs and careers,” he teases. “And so you’ll get to see more of my life outside of Southern Charm, which I’m excited about, and to see our friendships start to repair, which was really important to me, too.”

Season 12 “really put a focus on repairing friendships instead of tearing each other down,” Conover confirms, adding that the show has a “more positive feeling” than in recent years. “It was really fun to be there again,” he admits. “I’m just excited that it feels like a brand new chapter in the Southern Charm franchise.”

Of course, there will still be some drama, and while Conover seems to avoid most of it, there’s a tense moment between him and Madison LeCroy in the Season 12 trailer.

“That was the second fight that Madison and I have ever gotten into in our lives,” he shares. “We were just at dinner in New York actually laughing about it. But again, it just goes to the realness of our show. As much as her and I love each other and I love her family and we are really big parts of each other’s lives now, things get heated sometimes and I think it should be a pretty dramatic, but funny, moment for fans to laugh at how silly we can be.”

As for where they stand now, Conover says viewers will have to “see how it all works out” on the show, but hints that everything is just fine in their friendship. “Madison and I actually have known each other longer than anyone on our show,” he points out. “She used to date my high school best friend. She actually went to my high school reunion. There’s not many people I love more than Madison and her family on this planet.”

This weekend, Conover will be attending Bravo Fan Fest in Charleston, where he’ll be stopping by the State Farm booth to meet fans who want to take part in the brand’s immersive activation. “You get to customize a boat tote and find out which Southern Charm persona matches you,” he teases. “And it just feels really good to have them here in our backyard where the show is shot, where we all live, and to share this with all of our fans.”

Southern Charm, Season 12 Premiere, Thursday, November 12, 9/8c, Bravo