Nene Leakes reveals she’s done with The Real Housewives Of Atlanta after ‘exhausting’ negotiations… following 11 seasons on the show
- Nene was part of the show’s first set of stars, starting during season one in 2008
- She briefly left the show, skipping season nine only to return the next year
- In her YouTube announcement Leakes revealed that ‘exhausting’ negotiations with Bravo lead to her departure
Nene Leakes is leaving The Real Housewives Of Atlanta.
The 11 season veteran announced that she was done with the Bravo favorite in a YouTube video on Thursday.
In the clip Leakes, 52, said that she decided she was done with the show after going through ‘exhausting’ and ’emotional negotiations with the network.
Au revoir! Nene Leakes announced she was leaving The Real Housewives Of Atlanta after ‘exhausting’ negotiations with Bravo
Leakes revealed her big news in a YouTube video titled: ‘Listen Closely, I got something to tell you!’
After thanking fans for their support at the top, Nene opened up about her departure.
‘There’s been a lot of emotions on both sides. It’s been hard and I have made a hard, difficult decision to not be part of Real Housewives Of Atlanta season 13,’ she said.
‘It wasn’t an easy decision for me. It was hard,’ the TV favorite went on.
Nene reflected on how important the show’s diversity was saying: ‘I’m just so happy that I can say that I was part of a genre that opened up a door for Black ensemble reality shows to step up and be a part of what we all now love so much: reality TV.’
Leakes’ farewell was also full of gratitude, as the star said: ‘I want to thank everybody that has looked up to me over the years. …I want to thank Bravo for all the memories. …Thank you to the cast for all of the memories.’
Andy Cohen was quick to send Nene his love after the announcement, calling her ‘an icon of the genre.’
Veteran: Nene has been on the show for 11 of its 12 seasons, only skipping season nine after a brief step back as just a ‘guest’ in season eight
Groundbreaking: Nene reflected on how important the show’s diversity was saying: ‘I’m just so happy that I can say that I was part of a genre that opened up a door for Black ensemble reality shows to step up and be a part of what we all now love so much: reality TV’
‘She is a gif and catchphrase machine,’ Cohen, the show’s executive producer, went on. ‘In 11 years of #WWHL, Nene has been our most frequent guest, and she is always A BLAST.
‘Nene nicknamed me “Buttercup” the first day we met, and still calls me that today. Through her whole run, she has always had a serious concern and drive to maintain the success and well-being of #RHOA.
‘I am going to miss Nene on the show, but I’m hoping we work together again soon and will,’ he wrote before signing off as Buttercup.
Iconic: Andy Cohen was quick to send Nene his love after the announcement, calling her ‘an icon of the genre’
This isn’t the first time the reality star has parted with the show.
In season eight she took a step back as only a part-time ‘guest’ before going on to skip season nine completely.
But it seemed Bravo couldn’t keep Nene from the small screen for long.
She returned to RHOA during the 10th season and has been on the show since.
Nene was a standout from the moment she appeared on screen,