Andy Cohen has confirmed that NeNe Leakes is making her big Bravo return in the new spinoff series The Real Housewives: Ultimate Road Trip.
On Tuesday, TMZ reported that the former Real Housewives of Atlanta star was slated to appear in the network’s new show, noting that she would not join the cast in full-time capacity.
On Wednesday, while hosting Andy Cohen Live, the Bravo boss confirmed Leakes would be involved with Ultimate Road Trip.
The topic of conversation arose when Cohen’s co-host, John Hill, pointed out said reports of Leakes’ casting. “She’s gonna be making an appearance,” Cohen replied. “When we go to Atlanta, she ‘gon be there.”
The Hollywood Reporter reached out to Bravo for comment, but did not hear back by the time of publication.
Leakes was a mainstay of the Atlanta-based series, joining the cast in season one and remaining through season seven. She subsequently returned in full-time capacity after a series of cameos for seasons 10-12.
The former RHOA star notably sued NBCUniversal, Bravo, production companies True Entertainment and Truly Original, executives from the companies and Cohen in April 2022. She alleged they fostered and tolerated a hostile and racist work environment. The suit was later dismissed in August.
“Listen, we are going to be celebrating 20 years of Housewives, and it would be hard not to without her,” he added of Leakes’ participation. “And so I’m happy about it.”
Cohen added that he’d be revealing the full cast of the spinoff on the Jan. 14 episode of Watch What Happens Live, which Bravo confirmed would have a core cast of seven women in a Tuesday Instagram post. He declined to share when the series will air.
“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.”
The network revealed Ultimate Road Trip as one of its latest additions at BravoCon 2025, angled as a celebration of the franchise’s 20th anniversary. Bravo will also welcome Rhode Island as the newest Real Housewives show in its slate sometime in 2026.
The official logline for Ultimate Road Trip reads, “In this special event series, a group of beloved Housewives from across the years embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, making their way through some of the most memorable locations in the franchise’s history. Starting where it all began in Orange County and culminating in an epic east coast grand finale, each stop will feature appearances by fan favorites from different cities to pay tribute to the past, embrace the present and look toward the many miles still ahead. Along the way, viewers can expect nostalgic reunions, heartfelt revelations, effortless humor, and the larger-than-life dynamics that only Housewives can deliver.”
