This RHOA Fan Theory Predicts NeNe Leakes Is Returning To The Show

Could The Real Housewives of Atlanta OG NeNe Leakes reclaim her peach? According to Bravo fans, not only is NeNe’s RHOA comeback possible, but some even believe her return might already be in the works.

The prospect once seemed impossible, considering NeNe sued Bravo, Andy Cohen, and the RHOA producers, among others, in April 2022. In the lawsuit, which she dropped months later, NeNe alleged that they violated federal employment and anti-discrimination laws by fostering “a corporate and workplace culture in which racially-insensitive and inappropriate behavior is tolerated — if not, encouraged.”

After LoveBScott reported in August that Bravo execs decided to re-cast RHOA in the wake of a poorly received Season 15, Entertainment Tonight confirmed that “a major shakeup is coming” to the Peach State. Here’s why Bravoholics now believe NeNe is part of the casting overhaul.

She Said What She Said

In July, NeNe said herself that she would return for the fans. She told TMZ, “The fans are the ones that love me. They’re the ones that love to see me in that position. And I would do anything for them.”

Fast-forward to BravoCon 2023, and Andy didn’t seem to oppose the idea, either. During a Nov. 4 Ask Andy fan Q&A in Las Vegas, he addressed whether there’s any hope for his relationship with NeNe, saying, “I’m a nostalgic guy. She and I came up together, and there’s always room in my heart for, you know, everybody.”

When pressed on the possibility of NeNe returning to RHOA, he responded, “Who knows? I mean, she asked me a few years ago to keep her name out of my mouth, so I try to respect that.”

More New Evidence

As Bethenny Frankel’s so-called reality TV reckoning gained steam, NeNe appeared on the Just B with Bethenny Frankel podcast in September. The following month, the duo also dropped a “limited series” podcast, dubbed “BetheNeNe,” in which they delved deeper into the dark underbelly of Bravo and reality TV as a whole.

As some eagle-eyed fans noticed, however, NeNe recently removed all traces of the interviews from her social media. What’s more, NeNe reportedly began following Bravo’s official account on Instagram again. Though some thought Bravo also re-followed NeNe simultaneously, it appears the network never stopped following her.

Comeback Hopes Are High

“I don’t want to read too much into Nene randomly refollowing Bravo on Instagram, but it is strange she did so just after wiping all Bethenny content from her page,” one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Another said, “Not me shedding a tear just at the thought of Andy and Nene back in the clubhouse again.”

At least one fellow RHOA alum is also hoping for NeNe’s potential return. In the comments section of The Shade Room’s Instagram post about the rumors, Porsha Guobadia (née Williams) — who’s rumored to be considering a RHOA Season 16 comeback — dropped a flame emoji, writing, “It’s Time.”

The House That NeNe Built

Either way, Andy has already confirmed that RHOA is taking a brief pause. (Season 16 filming is reportedly not expected to begin until spring 2024, according to The Jasmine Brand.) “I always love building with what we have,” he told BravoCon attendees on Nov. 4, while addressing RHOA cast reboot rumors. “I think Atlanta has some really strong building blocks that are already there and we have a growth opportunity for Atlanta.”

So, who better to build RHOA back up than NeNe? As the OG stated on Carlos King’s Reality with the King podcast this summer, “As far as I’m concerned, they’re all sitting in my house, the house that I built. And it seems like it’s tumbling down.”