Hold onto your martinis, darlings—Nene Leakes is sashaying back to Bravo! After five years away from The Real Housewives of Atlanta, the OG is set to appear on the upcoming The Real Housewives: Ultimate Road Trip. TMZ confirms her notable role during the Atlanta leg only.
Oh, the drama! Just when we thought Nene Leakes had bid farewell to the Bravo universe for good, production sources spill to TMZ that she's returning for The Real Housewives: Ultimate Road Trip, the working-title spin-off announced by Andy Cohen at BravoCon 2025. Set to debut in 2026, this evolution of the fan-fave Ultimate Girls Trip will whisk iconic Housewives across the country to celebrate 20 years of franchise fabulousness, with stars popping up in landmark cities tied to their shows. Nene won't be along for the full ride—she's got a 'notable presence' exclusively when the crew hits Atlanta, her RHOA stomping grounds. 💅
Flashback to 2020: Nene tearfully announced her exit after Season 12, citing failed contract negotiations. 'I have made the very hard and difficult decision to not be a part of Real Housewives of Atlanta season 13,' she said at the time, reflecting on starting in 2008 and launching a rocket of Black ensemble reality TV. She starred in Seasons 1-8 and returned for 10-12 before bouncing.
The return is extra juicy given her 2022 lawsuit against Bravo, NBCUniversal, and RHOA producers, alleging racism and a hostile workplace. Filed in April, it was dropped in August after both sides agreed to arbitration. But reconciliation vibes were brewing—Bravo exec Frances Berwick said the door was open, and Nene told BOSSIP they'd settled everything. 'We’ve actually cleared all of our disagreements; we’ve actually sat at the same table and worked through these things,' she shared. 'NBC owns Bravo, and we are in an okay place. We are dating, so I think it’s slow, but so far, all is well.' 😏
Rumors swirl about other cameos: Gizelle Bryant as the first commit, Monique Samuels in early talks, plus Mary Cosby, Alexia Nepola, and Countess Luann de Lesseps potentially joining the chaos. Will this road trip mend old feuds or spark new ones? Spill the tea, Bravo!
