NeNe Leakes, the outspoken reality TV veteran who helped put The Real Housewives of Atlanta on the pop culture map, publicly thanked fellow Housewives Porsha Williams and Phaedra Parks on Wednesday. Her gratitude came as she confirmed her return to the Bravo network in a video announcement that delighted longtime fans.
In a tearful Instagram message, Leakes said her comeback was “a really long, long journey” and that she feels “happy, overjoyed” to be back in the Bravo fold. “I almost can’t even believe the words that are coming out of my mouth,” she said. “I’m so happy. I’m just so happy.”
Leakes, 58, first rose to fame as an original cast member on Real Housewives of Atlanta in 2008. She left the show after Season 12 and spent several years away from the franchise, including a public legal dispute with Bravo and executive producer Andy Cohen. Her return marks a significant moment in the franchise’s 20th anniversary celebration.
Gratitude and the Housewives Who Raised Her Name
In her announcement, Leakes singled out Williams and Parks for helping keep her name “in the ring” behind the scenes during her absence. “Porsha Williams, thank you so much. You know how I feel about you. You’re my little sister,” she said. “Thank you, I appreciate everything.”
She continued: “Phaedra Parks, thank you so much, Phaedra, for keeping my name going, and all of you guys and all of you ladies who constantly say my name and keep my name out there in the ring.”
Leakes’ remarks highlighted a shift from past tensions among the Housewives, who have navigated rivalries and dramatic breakups on camera over the years. Her shout-outs suggested a level of respect for her former co-stars’ roles in her return.
Williams, a current Real Housewives cast member, responded with her own enthusiasm shortly after Leakes’ announcement. “I can’t wait!! The [door] is open… 20 years of Housewives is not complete!! Let’s celebrate,” she wrote in reply to Leakes’ social media post.
Leakes will appear on The Real Housewives: Ultimate Road Trip – Roaring 20th, a special edition of Bravo’s popular spin-off that celebrates the franchise across cities and generations of Housewives. The series will reunite stars from several Housewives franchises.
Her re-entry into the Bravo universe has been met with excitement from fans and colleagues alike. Andy Cohen, a central figure in the franchise’s development, wrote that Bravo “couldn’t celebrate 20 years without you.”
Leakes closed her message with one of her signature declarations, telling fans, “Yes! B*tches, I am back! Now pick your faces up off the floor… See you on Bravo.”