Will Nene Leakes return to Bravo? Andy Cohen drops bombshell as he addresses 'RHOA' comeback buzz
Real Housewives royalty is coming back to Bravo. Nene Leakes is set to make an appearance on the highly anticipated 'The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip.' For those unaware, the network and reality star parted ways on a bitter note. Leakes filed a lawsuit against the network, claiming that the work environment was hostile and racist. NBCUniversal, Bravo, production companies True Entertainment and Truly Original, and Andy Cohen were named as defendants. In August of 2022, Leakes dropped the lawsuit, but the situation made fans wonder if the fan favorite would ever return to the Bravoverse.
The speculation has now finally been put to rest. Andy Cohen announced that Leakes will return to 'The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip,' a show commemorating the legacy of 'Real Housewives' on the network. “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 shared with 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.”
Cohen and Leakes go way back. The host serves as an Executive Producer for 'Real Housewives of Atlanta', which began airing in 2008. In fact, he was also involved in her casting process. "Well, I didn’t meet Nene in person until the season-one reunion. I saw her on tape. Her tape was great. She was funny. It’s online somewhere," he told the publication. As the stature of 'RHOA' grew, so did the relationship between Cohen and Leakes. In one of her last interviews with BravoTV.com before exiting 'RHOA,' the reality star picked Cohen as the one she would like to be stuck on a deserted island with, amongst all her castmates. However, things took a turn after her exit and the subsequent lawsuit.
nene leakes really is the queen of reality tv quotes cos how did this 20 seconds of footage produce 4 different memes 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/7C0zd85C9O
— 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞 (@arxhiiie) April 8, 2026
It now seems like the feud is over, as both of them will collaborate closely in 'The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip.' However, the news is making many fans wonder if the reality TV star will return to 'RHOA'. Cohen remained coy, providing neither a positive nor a negative answer. “You know what? We’ve worked so hard to get a cast on Atlanta that is cohesive and makes sense, and that we love and the fans love. We want to be at the level that Atlanta used to be, and we are finally there. That’s what I’m focusing on right now," he shared. If Leakes does end up returning to 'RHOA,' she will definitely add to the buzz around the show. 'RHOA' is currently airing Season 17, with new episodes releasing every Sunday at 8/7c on Bravo. 'The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip' will air sometime in 2026.
