RHOA producer reveals ‘former and new’ stars hired for ‘powerful’ season 16 after Kandi Burruss and Marlo Hampton quit - vu thuy

REAL Housewives of Atlanta producer Peta Phipps has teased what's to come for the new season in an exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun.

In recent weeks, it has been revealed that Kandi Burruss, Marlo Hampton and Sanya Richards-Ross will not be returning for Season 16.

Season 15 consisted of the three ladies, plus Kenya Moore, Sheree Whitfield and Drew Sidora.

It has only been confirmed that Porsha Williams, who was part of RHOA from seasons five through 13, will be returning to S16.

Now, Real Housewives producer Peta Phipps is teasing who else might be returning in an exclusive chat with The U.S. Sun while hosting the ICON Travel Lounge in Beverly Hills earlier this month.

When asked if she could spill the tea, Peta replied, "I wish I could. I wish I could.

"But, I mean, the ink is drying on some of those contracts right now."

She continued, "Wait until you see who's going to be on the show."

Without giving away names, the editor-in-chief of Swanky Retreats and Caribbean Living Magazine, admitted, "I'm going to say that there's a good mix (of former and new stars)."

"You'll be excited. It'll probably be one of the most powerful seasons just because of the eclectic mix that's coming," she elaborated.

"It's going to be re-energized, let's put it that way... I can only say, 'stay tuned!'"

BIGGER RATINGS?

For Season 15, the Atlanta cast has seen some of the lowest ratings this season compared to previous years.

The season premiered on May 7, 2023, with 834,000 viewers and reached an all-time low on May 28 with 657,000 watching.

In comparison, when NeNe Leakes was on the show, which she last appeared in season 12, her season hit a high of 2,008,000 viewers and a 0.73 demo rating.

Fans blamed the ratings drop on the casting, but Peta believes with a cast shakeup, ratings will be better.

"I really think so," she told The US. Sun. "If I'm not mistaken, that was one of the top-graded franchises, not just blowing my own horn."

She also admitted "it was amazing" when NeNe was part of the franchise as she got to know her on a personal level.

"Nene's an amazing person. I like her a lot," Peta said.

"[We] text all the time. She's doing really well."

She continued: "I am personal friends with a few. Kim [Zolciak] is amazing. Cynthia [Bailey] is amazing, Sheree."

PHAEDRA BREAKS SILENCE

Phaedra, who attended Peta's travel lounge, spoke to The U.S. Sun at the DirecTV Streaming With the Stars party on March 10.

She said she does not know who will be appearing on the new season.

However, it did not seem like she was part of the new cast.

"I haven't been on it in five years. I have no thoughts," she replied when asked how she felt about the cast shakeup.

After "playing an amazing game" on The Traitors, she was, however, gunning for her fellow housewives RHONY's Dorinda Medley and RHOSLC's Meredith Marks to join the must-talked-about TV drama.

BEHIND THE SCENES SECRETS

Apart from RHOA, Peta has worked on other reality shows as a travel consulting producer for years, including Real Housewives of New Jersey and Real Housewives of Potomac.

She helped plan the current season of RHOP's trip to the Dominican Republic, where the ladies stayed at Casa de Campo Resort & Villas.

Banned from revealing "trade secrets," Peta was able to tell The U.S. Sun that the cast trips - each season has one small and one international - are "never about budget," and they're more about "timing and storyline."

"Each franchise is probably a little different. If there's a franchise that has access to a private jet that they get to hop on and hop off, that's a different vibe," she spilled.

In terms of the luxury hotels the ladies get to stay at, Peta said that those are normally partners of hers since she owns travel magazines and can extend her partnerships to Bravo.

When asked her favorite franchise to work with, she coyly said, "That's like asking me to pick my favorite child! I love them all, I do.

"I love the dynamics of Potomac. I love New Jersey's dynamic, and Atlanta, it's old school. It's been about 14 years."

ATLANTA TO LA

In between planning Housewives cast trips, Peta took time to plan the first-ever ICON Luxury Travel Lounge to treat celebrities prior to the 2024 Oscars.

"I have been for 14 years attending, participating in other lounges.

"And we realized that the celebrities, when they come, they come for the travel, right? It's not the lip gloss, it's not the flip flops," Peta told The U.S. Sun, explaining how the travel lounge came about.

Stars who attended included Brooke Burke, Karamo Brown, Mercedes "MJ" Javid and Sheryl Lee Ralph.

Some of the resorts that took part in the exclusive event included the S Hotel and Round Hill Hotel and Villas both in Jamaica, the Altamer Luxury Villas on the exclusive island of Anguilla, the InterContinental Dominica Cabrits Resort & Spa in Dominica, and the Little River Inn nestled along the Mendocino Coast in California.