SHE SAID WHAT SHE SAID! NeNe Leakes has officially confirmed her return to Bravo via a tearful video where she thanked her former Real Housewives of Atlanta co-stars and Andy Cohen.
Source: Freddy O / FreddyO.com
The Real Housewives of Atlanta O.G. announced the news via Instagram in a video captioned, “CONFIRMED! The Tastiest Peach Is Back,” calling the moment the end of a “long, long journey” and expressing disbelief that this was truly happening.
“I’m overjoyed, I almost can’t even believe that the words that are coming out of my mouth,” said NeNe, adding that she was “so happy” to be back at the network where she became a reality TV legend.
In the short video, NeNe offered thanks to Bravo leadership and executives who worked behind the scenes to make her return possible, including Chairman, Bravo & Peacock Unscripted Frances Berwick and Andy Cohen, as well as the production team at Truly Original. She also acknowledged producers “on the ground” who kept communication open, and credited two housewives in particular: Porsha Williams, whom she referred to as her “little sister,” along with Phaedra Parks.
Source: Instagram / @NeNeLeakesSource: Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty
“All of you ladies who constantly say my name and keep my name in the ring, I appreciate you guys so much,” said NeNe.
NeNe’s comments are bustling with congratulatory messages, including one from Andy Cohen, who wrote, “Couldn’t celebrate 20 years without you.”
As previously reported, Leakes’ confirmation follows reports that she will appear in The Real Housewives: Ultimate Road Trip, a newly announced Bravo spinoff set to debut in 2026.
According to sources cited by TMZ, NeNe is expected to make a notable appearance when production stops in Atlanta, rather than participating in the full journey. The series was unveiled by Andy Cohen at BravoCon 2025 as a reimagining of Ultimate Girls Trip, swapping international vacations for a cross-country format spotlighting cities central to the franchise’s 20-year history.
Her return comes after years of public tension between Leakes and NBCUniversal, stemming from her 2020 exit from The Real Housewives of Atlanta and a 2022 lawsuit alleging racism and a hostile work environment. That legal dispute was later withdrawn and moved to arbitration, and Leakes has since said she and the company worked through their differences.
In a previous interview with BOSSIP, she noted that she and NBCUniversal were on “better terms,” pointing to her continued work hosting red carpets for NBC-owned events as evidence that the relationship had thawed.
Andy Cohen Confirmed NeNe Leakes’ Return On His Radio Show
NeNe’s return was confirmed by Andy Cohen as well. The Bravo boss announced the news onAndy Cohen Live, confirming that NeNe will be on Ultimate Road Trip.
“She’s gonna be making an appearance,” said Andy noting that she will appear on the series when it hits Atlanta.
“Listen, we are going to be celebrating 20 years of Housewives, and it would be hard not to without her,” he added. “And so I’m happy about it.”
He added that he’d be revealing the full cast of the spinoff on tonight’s episode of Watch What Happens Live.
“A group of about seven or eight gals is gonna be going from town to town,” Cohen explained of the show’s format. “More will be revealed. In total, I think you may wind up by the end of the series, seeing 60 of your Housewives friends. Something like that. There’s gonna be a lot — it’s going to be amazing. I’m really excited about this.”
Congratulations, NeNe!
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