Billions Season 4 premiere opens with tribute to Bethenny Frankel's late boyfriend Dennis Shields

Showtime aired the Season 4 premiere of the hit drama series Billions on Sunday night, which was dedicated to the late Dennis Shields, the boyfriend of Real Housewives of New Jersey star Bethenny Frankel.

The ending title card read, ‘In memory of Dennis Shields,’ with Billions series co-creator Brian Koppelman tweeting on Sunday night, ‘Dedicated to Dennis Shields, our brother.’

Frankel took to Twitter herself, responding to a fan who told her that the Season 4 premiere was dedicated to Shields, who was found dead at 51 in his Trump Tower apartment after a suspected overdose.

Dedication: The Season 4 premiere of Billions was dedicated to Bethenny Frankel’s late boyfriend Dennis Shields, who passed away from an overdose (as they are pictured together in June 2016)

In memory: The ending title card read, ‘In memory of Dennis Shields,’ with Billions series co-creator Brian Koppelman tweeting on Sunday night, ‘Dedicated to Dennis Shields, our brother’

‘Yes. We are all connected and have a long history. He really is missed and touched so many people’s lives,’ Frankel said.

Shields passed away in August, with Frankel revealing on this current season of Real Housewives of New York that Shields had actually proposed.

‘He proposed on April 25… I didn’t tell anybody that,’ Frankel said in a preview for the upcoming episode, which airs March 20.

‘We had our own private engagement and our own private, like, ‘Oh my God, we’re going to do this,” Frankel said. 

She added in her conversation with Dorinda Medley that she bought her eight year old daughter Bryn a ring too. 

‘I loved him so much and we were a family and my daughter was close with him and I knew him for so many year,’ Frankel added.

 Proposed: Shields passed away in August, with Frankel revealing on this current season of Real Housewives of New York that Shields had actually proposed

Private engagement: ‘We had our own private engagement and our own private, like, ‘Oh my God, we’re going to do this,” Frankel said

Frankel spoke about Shields’ passing for the first time in August, at the launch of her SkinnyGirl jeans line.

‘He’s very much a part of me and he’s very much a part of this [launch]. He was very involved in my endeavors,’ Frankel said.

‘He would be so excited. I can hear him saying, “How many did you sell?” and “I can’t believe you sold out.”‘

Passing: Frankel spoke about Shields’ passing for the first time in August, at the launch of her SkinnyGirl jeans line

Speaking out: ‘He’s very much a part of me and he’s very much a part of this [launch]. He was very involved in my endeavors,’ Frankel said

‘And he would be checking the numbers and checking the website,’ she continued. ‘He’s here and I just know he would be so proud and a cheerleader.’

 ‘It’s like [Hurricane] Florence, it’s a storm and you must go through it. It’s not one of these things you can avoid and you have to go through it and deal with it and hopefully, you come out stronger on the other side,’ she said.

Frankel’s hit reality series The Real Housewives of New York returns with a new episode on Wednesday, March 20 on Bravo.

RHONY: Frankel’s hit reality series The Real Housewives of New York returns with a new episode on Wednesday, March 20 on Bravo