Hell may have frozen over because it looks like NeNe Leakes has a clear path to return to Real Housewives of Atlanta after years of being iced out.
For years, NeNe has been at odds with Bravo and Andy Cohen after lodging a lawsuit against NBCUniversal, Bravo, production companies True Entertainment and Truly Original, and executive producer Andy Cohen in 2022. In the complaint, she claimed they fostered a racist and hostile work environment, using former friend and co-star Kim Zolciak as the example. NeNe claimed that Kim used the N-word and that she was forced off the show while Kim’s racism went unchecked by those in charge.
But that lawsuit has been dealth with and the past is in the past now as NeNe is returning to Bravo. No, she’s not slated for a RHOA return and Andy was careful in what he said about any possibility of giving her peach back. But it’s clear that fences are being mended and who wouldn’t want NeNe back on, quite literally, “the house that NeNe Leakes built” (to quote Andy himself).
NeNe’s triumphant return comes later this year when she will appear on The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20s, which celebrates 20 years of Real Housewives. Andy recently spoke about the upcoming special and how NeNe came to be a part of it.
“We are celebrating 20 years of the Housewives. I can’t speak to that lawsuit, but it’s in the past. She was integral to the show and its success,” Cohen told Vulture. “As we looked back on 20 years, it felt like doing something with her would be really nice for the fans, and she really wanted to do it. It was very positive.”
Season 17 of Real Housewives of Atlanta is airing now, and it is arguably one of the best seasons we’ve seen in a long time. That is largely due to Drew Sidora’s divorce drama and the return of Frick and Frack (Porsha Williams and Phaedra Parks). K. Michelle is proving to be a welcome addition, while Pinky Cole has fans hoping she’ll be one and done.
Some believe that the one thing that might make RHOA better would be NeNe Leakes’ return for Season 18. We’re among those who want to see her get her peach back, and no one seems to want it more than NeNe herself.
NeNe, who also recently spoke to Vulture, asked outright, “Realistically speaking, is there a space for me on Housewives?” Then, she went on to add, “If they wanted there to be a place for me, there will be a place. Because it’s not like my story is any less interesting than it was then; it’s probably even more interesting.”
