NeNe Leakes Claims Bravo 'Forced' Her Off 'Real Housewives of Atlanta'
Bad blood? NeNe Leakes claimed Bravo “forced” her off the Real Housewives of Atlanta days after she announced her exit from the franchise.
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The reality star, 52, made the allegation on Saturday, September 26, after a fan asked her via Twitter if she thought Bravo would “give you the spinoff you deserve.” Leakes replied, “They don’t think I deserve to work at all in any capacity.”
Another fan wrote, “It sounds like they forced you out! Is that the story you want out there. ‘They didn’t want u to work in any capacity?'” to which the Glee alum responded, “They definitely did.”
Leakes later told Andy Cohen she hopes he won’t have a problem when she shares her side of the story. “@Andy said he respected Teddi [Mellencamp] for telling the truth about her exit [from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills],” Leakes tweeted. “Well, I can’t wait to tell my truths. I hope I get just as much respect.”
The fashion designer announced her departure from RHOA in a YouTube video on September 17. Leakes was an OG Housewife when the show premiered in 2008. She left the reality series in 2015 ahead of season 8 but returned in 2017 for season 10.
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“I’m just so happy that I can say that I was a part of a genre that opened up doors for Black ensemble reality shows,” Leakes said. “I want to thank everybody that has looked up to me over the years. I want to thank Bravo for all the memories. Thank you to the cast for all of the memories.”
Bravo told Us Weekly in a statement at the time, “We wish NeNe all the best in her future endeavors and thank her for sharing her journey for over a decade with the fans of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. She’s been instrumental since the start and will truly be missed, and maybe one day she’ll hold the peach again.”
Later that day, Cohen, 52, reacted to Leaks’ exit in an Instagram tribute, which featured a series of photos of the pair throughout the years.
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“She is a gif and catchphrase machine. In 11 years of #WWHL, Nene has been our most frequent guest, and she is always A BLAST,” the Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen host captioned the post. “Nene nicknamed me ‘Buttercup’ the first day we met, and still calls me that today. Through her whole run, she has always had a serious concern and drive to maintain the success and well-being of #RHOA.”
He added: “I am going to miss Nene on the show, but I’m hoping we work together again soon and will remain in each other’s orbits forever. XO, Buttercup.”
Us Weekly has reached out to Bravo for comment.
