In a recent Instagram Live, NeNe Leakes seemed to hint at a potential return to The Real Housewives of Atlanta, responding positively to a fan’s suggestion that she should join season 17 of the Bravo series.
Showcasing her enthusiasm for the idea, she said,
“I live for y’all putting me on season 17. I live for y’all automatically giving me a position.”
Looks like Nene could be open to making a comeback to #RHOA for Season 17. pic.twitter.com/1eYycrT2Gp
— The RHOA Talk (@TheRhoaTalk) September 17, 2024
This renewed openness is a notable development considering her complex history with the network.
NeNe Leakes, who left the series after season 12 in 2020 due to dissatisfaction with reduced episodes and pay, subsequently promoted a boycott of Bravo, accusing the network of fostering a toxic work environment and ignoring her concerns.
In April 2022, NeNe Leakes took further action by filing a lawsuit against Bravo and its parent company, NBCUniversal. The suit reiterated allegations that the network fostered a “toxic” and “racially insensitive” work environment and also included claims of wrongful termination and discrimination.
Although Leakes dismissed the lawsuit “without prejudice” in August 2022—potentially to enter arbitration for a possible settlement—the legal dispute contributed to her claim that she had been blackballed from NBCUniversal and the entertainment industry as a whole.
Well, given recent developments, a return of Nene Leakes to reality TV seems more plausible, as the 56-year-old star recently hosted a red carpet after-show on E!, marking a comeback to NBCUniversal programming.
Nene Leakes has been back on TV for 2 minutes and she’s already creating soundbites! We need her back! https://t.co/UayvunUMlw pic.twitter.com/IT6M8ubbJ0
— Queens of Bravo (@queensofbravo) September 16, 2024
While it’s unclear if Leakes and NBCUniversal reached a settlement, she shared on Instagram before the taping:
“GLAD TO BE BACK WITH MY NBC UNI FAMILY.”
As fans eagerly await Nene Leakes’ potential return, season 16 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta is set to premiere early next year, featuring some of her past co-stars, including Porsha Williams, Phaedra Parks, and possibly Kenya Moore (depending on whether production decides to keep her scenes following her abrupt midseason exit).
