NeNe Leakes' Surprise Bravo Return On ‘RHUGT’ Got Emotional
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BLOOOP! NeNe Leakes made her much-anticipated return to the Bravo universe, and her appearance had the cast of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th (RHUGT) screaming, hugging, and even shedding tears as they welcomed the beloved blueprint of housewives.
During the Aug. 30 episode, we saw Leakes unexpectedly reunited with the cast at a drag brunch in Atlanta after already chatting it up with Porsha Williams.
During her #RHUGT appearance, she reflected on her time away from The Real Housewives of Atlanta, her complicated feelings about leaving the franchise, and what it was like to find herself back in the Bravo mix suddenly.
After receiving a very enthusiastic welcome from the ladies, Leakes opened up about what it was really like walking away from #RHOA. She officially left the series in September 2020 after announcing she would not return for Season 13.
“In the beginning I was happy to be gone honestly because it was just a heavy time,” NeNe told the cast when asked if she missed being on The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
But leaving the cameras behind wasn’t completely easy. Leakes admitted there was a point when watching the other women continue filming without her made her feel a little “weird” and left out. Eventually, though, those feelings gave way to something she valued even more: “peace.”
That sentiment clearly resonated with Porsha Williams, who also knows what it feels like to step away from the franchise. Williams announced her departure from The Real Housewives of Atlanta in September 2021 after completing Season 13.
And if anyone knew what was coming at the drag brunch, it was Porsha. Williams was the only cast member in on the surprise and helped orchestrate Leakes’ big entrance. Once the other women realized who was standing in front of them, they completely lost it, rushing the stage to hug their longtime friend and welcome her back with open arms.
Porsha said, “When I got back on the camera.. It’s gotta be some real sh*t,” to which NeNe nodded in agreement.
And things definitely got real, and fabulous. Hit the flip to read more about NeNe Leakes’ RHUGT appearance.
NeNe Leakes introduced the RHUGT cast to her boyfriend Nyonisela Sioh.
Leakes arrived looking as glamorous as ever, but she wasn’t flying solo. Joining her was her on-and-off-again, seemingly now-steady boyfriend, Nyonisela Sioh, who introduced himself to the women during brunch. Leakes told the housewives that she had been dating him for “about four years.” The ladies quickly took a liking to him, adding another layer of fun to an already memorable reunion. Vicki Gunvalson was particularly impressed by the bespoke fashion designer, calling him “sexy” and “darling.”
While the cast was busy preparing for the surprise, Leakes was dealing with her own backstage jitters. From the driver’s seat of her vehicle, she admitted that her nerves had kicked in ahead of filming Episode 4.
“My stomach was kind of hurting a little bit, kind of, you know, like, nervous hurt,” she admitted.
Leakes then slipped into the venue through a back entrance, still unsure of how her former and current Bravo colleagues would react to seeing her.
“I don’t know how they are, you know. I just hope they’re nice to me.”
When a producer asked what would happen if the ladies weren’t exactly welcoming, Leakes made it clear that viewers could always count on her signature brand of honesty — and perhaps a classic NeNe read.
The RHUGT cast was excited to see NeNe Leakes — Andy Cohen, too! But Gizelle Bryant had some unfinished business with the shade queen.
Once she finally appeared, the emotional reaction from the cast made it clear just how much she had been missed.
“I’m so emotional because it just feels like you’re long-lost family and you’re back together again, like a really big reunion of sorts,” Luann de Lesseps remarked in a confessional. “I was so happy to see her. We just get along like a house on fire.”
Vicki Gunvalson was equally thrilled, pointing out that she has known and loved Leakes for 18 years. Teresa Giudice also shared her excitement in a producer interview.
“I’m so happy Nene’s here. And, I don’t know, I feel like we have, like, this sisterhood, like no competition or anything like that. We always, like, respected each other.”
Kyle Richards may have been one of the most excited of all. In her confessional, she explained just how far back her friendship with Leakes goes.
“Nene was the first Housewife of any of the franchises that I became friends with. Nene and I have had lunches, dinners, we’ve gossiped, shared private things with each other. We just always had each other’s back. I’ve missed her.”
Of course, a NeNe Leakes return wouldn’t be complete without at least a little bit of unfinished business.
Gizelle Bryant joined in on the excitement but still had some old drama to address. While she said she has always “given NeNe her flowers,” Bryant revealed that Leakes had previously made a comment about her to Karen Huger, allegedly telling Huger to “beat up” Gizelle.
Thankfully, the tension didn’t last long. Leakes explained that she had been drinking and simply “talking s–t” with Karen and assured Gizelle there were “no hard feelings.” Just like that, another piece of Housewives history was put to bed.
Bravo executive producer Andy Cohen was also happy to see the star return to Bravo, telling PEOPLE during an exclusive interview:
“We couldn’t have celebrated 20 years without her. She’s such an important part of the franchise, and it was really fun. And the response has been great,” he added.
Did you enjoy seeing NeNe Leakes on The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th? Tell us in the comments section.
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