Lauren Conrad keeps ‘Hills’ alive for season 5

Lauren Conrad is going to keep “The Hills” alive — at least, for one more season.

“I actually thought last season was going to be my last,” the reality star told Entertainment Weekly. “(But) the producers wanted to hopefully give the show some sort of closure and needed one more season.”

Joining Conrad in a new cast photo for the MTV’s fifth season, which debuts April 6, are returning stars Spencer Pratt, Heidi Montag, Audrina Patridge, Brody Jenner, Lauren “Lo” Bosworth, Justin Bobby and Stephanie Pratt.

While past seasons have been tumultuous, Conrad said her final 10 episodes will find her taking it easy on the tears.

“I think I only cry in one episode,” she said. “I didn’t have that much conflict in my life over the last few months.”

Instead, the star has been focusing on her debut novel, the “Hills”-inspired “L.A. Candy,” due in June. Conrad is planning a pair of sequels — and told the magazine that a possible adaptation of the series could lead her back to television.

“We’ve been taking a lot of meetings lately,” Conrad said. “I don’t know exactly where I want to go, but I’ve looked into producing because I’ve always found that so interesting.”