'Recovery was my priority': Jackie Goldschneider reveals 'eating disorder' resulted in her 'RHONJ' Season 13 demotion
NEW JERSEY, US: Jackie Goldschneider is disclosing what was behind her move on the forthcoming season of 'The Real Housewives of New Jersey.' She's talking more about her eating issue and being demoted to a "friend of" role ahead of season 13 of 'RHONJ.'
The speculations surrounding Jackie Goldschneider's Housewife status have now been confirmed, thanks to the release of the 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' Season 13 teaser. Jackie will appear as a "friend of the cast" on 'RHONJ' this year. After four years as a constant housewife, fans were taken aback by Bravo's abrupt departure, especially because the Jersey cast hadn't been changed in the past years. Furthermore, Jackie was one of the few cast members that stood up to Teresa Giudice, the series' OG. Changing the cast was not something viewers expected, but according to Jackie's interview with People, it was her decision.
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"When Bravo approached me about casting for Season 13, I obviously was very excited to be a part of the show again because I love the show," Jackie remarked. "But my recovery was not in the place that I expected it to be. It was moving very slowly. I was still being triggered by stress, and I still needed a lot of intense therapy."
Fans may recall Jackie discussing her eating disorder during Season 12. Many fans longed for her comeback in Season 13, so they could continue following her narrative. But it appears like committing to both would be impossible. "Recovery was my priority," Jackie said. "I just wasn’t sure how to balance the time commitment for the show with my recovery," she added. So, before all the Jackie naysayers start complaining about how she was fired or demoted for being dull, hold on a second. Jackie went on to say that Bravo was "so supportive" of her decision, even offering her a "friend" position. She did confess that adjusting to her reduced role was tough. "It was a really tough pill to swallow, and it was hard for me to step back a little bit after having been such a big part of the show for so many years," she added, "I really knew that that was probably the best solution."
Although she was unhappy to take a step back, she saw that it was necessary. "In retrospect, it was the best decision that I could have made. It was really tough to do, but I’m really proud of myself for prioritizing myself," Jackie added. "I’m so incredibly healthy now, and I don’t know that wouldn’t be the case if I didn’t do this. So, I have no regrets."
Despite being a recurrent cast member, Jackie appears to have had a fantastic year. Consider Marlo Hampton from 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' before she got her peach. "I had a killer season and, aside from seeing the poster without my face on it — which is a little bit of an ego punch — other than that, I really don’t feel like there was that big of a difference between this season or any other season for me as far as being in the mix. It was just much less stress," Jackie noted.
Jackie noted that working full-time on the series is "very busy," and not having "the cameras around me while I was in therapy" allowed her to get "a lot more done." The reality star claims to be in a "really good place" now and is “really, really healthy.”
On February 7, 2023, Jackie and the rest of the 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' will return to Bravo.