Former Real Housewives of Atlanta star NeNe Leakes recently disclosed she was once considered for a co-host role on the daytime talk show “The Real.” The revelation came during a candid conversation with Tamar Braxton on episode six of “The NeNe Leakes Show” on YouTube.
Braxton, who was one of the original panelists on “The Real,” opened up about her complicated history with the show and its cast. During the interview, NeNe mentioned, “I was actually approached to be one of the original co-hosts on ‘The Real,’” a statement that caught Braxton by surprise.
Tamar responded with disbelief, saying, “I wish they would’ve told me that, because I wouldn’t have casted Big Back Cadillac,” a nickname she used to refer to fellow former co-host Loni Love. Braxton, now 48, claimed she helped build the show from the ground up and had a major hand in selecting the original cast, though she noted Loni Love’s involvement was a network decision.
A Talk Show What-If
Tamar suggested that the show may have had a different fate if NeNe had taken the job. “If NeNe had been on the show, it would still be on air,” she declared confidently.
Braxton exited “The Real” in 2016 amid controversy and mixed reports. While Tamar has publicly said her departure was a “mutual decision,” she later implied betrayal by someone on the show’s team. She posted a message in 2016 indicating that Loni Love may have written a letter to the network recommending her removal.
“I told everyone that it was her, no one wanted to believe me,” Braxton wrote in response to a text from a supposed source.
Loni Love, for her part, has long denied any involvement in Tamar’s exit. In a prior interview, Love said, “If you thought we had you fired, why would you sit with us when we all got nominated for an Emmy? We supported her, nobody was jealous.”
Unfinished Business
Despite the passage of time, tensions clearly still linger. While NeNe ultimately declined the offer to join “The Real,” her latest comments reopened old wounds and gave viewers a rare glimpse behind the scenes of daytime television. Whether NeNe’s decision altered the course of the show remains speculative—but it has certainly reignited interest in what might have been.