How Kim Kardashian Says Caitlyn Jenner's Transition Impacted Keeping Up with the Kardashians

While taping Friday's episode of The Graham Norton Show, per People, the reality star looked back at her family's rise to fame on Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and gave a shoutout to Caitlyn Jenner for how her transition impacted the show.

Keeping Up with the Kardashians premiered in 2007, and of course, turned the Kardashian-Jenner family famous and reality TV royalty. The show -- which ran for 20 seasons on E! from 2007 until 2021 -- followed the personal and professional lives of Kris Jenner, her then-husband Caitlyn, and her kids, Kim, 45, Kourtney, 46, Khloé, 41, and Rob Kardashian, 38, along with Kendall, 30, and Kylie Jenner, 28, with the show catapulting the family to superstardom. Less than a year after KUWTK concluded, the family returned to reality TV with Hulu's The Kardashians in 2022, with Season 7 premiering last Thursday.

"We shot the pilot and had no idea what it would turn into, but 20 years on it is still going," Kim told Graham Norton on Friday, before bringing up her stepdad.

"The shows write themselves. Once, when we wondered what might happen next my stepdad turned into a woman and there were two more seasons right there!" Kim jokingly added.

Caitlyn, 75, was married to Kris, 67, for over 20 years -- and welcomed kids Kendall and Kylie -- before they separated in 2013. Caitlyn came out as a transgender woman in 2015 during an interview with Diane Sawyer, and debuted her new identity on the cover of Vanity Fair in June 2015.

The next month, she starred in an eight-part docuseries, I Am Cait, which documented her transition. The series went on for two seasons.

Meanwhile, Kim's interview comes as Caitlyn appeared on The Kardashians for the first time, as shown at the end of Thursday's Season 7 premiere. The last time Caitlyn was seen with her family on screen was in 2021 when KUTWK ended.

In the Season 7 premiere, Kris invited the entire family to her iconic Hidden Hills home, also known as Eldorado Meadow) for one last celebration before it’s officially sold (she put the $13.5 million property up for sale earlier this year). In addition to her daughters and grandchildren, Rob Kardashian also made a surprise appearance and could be seen mingling with his mom from the couch and spending quality time with his sisters, daughter, nieces, and nephews.

Later, during a family dinner scene, another surprise guest was revealed. Kris broke down in tears as she told the cameras, "I just couldn't really come here with my full family and say goodbye to this house and not invite the person who made all the memories with us for so many years."

"I think one person that isn't here should be here to say goodbye with us to this house," Kris told the entire family as they gathered around the dinner table, which triggered Kourtney to burst into tears.

Caitlyn then entered the room, asking the group, "What's going on?" before the episode ended with a cliffhanger ending. As for what happens next, you’ll have to tune in next week, but the teaser trailer for Episode 2 shows scenes of Caitlyn mingling with the rest of the family, just like old times.