NeNe Leakes Is Leaving ‘RHOA’

After months of discussion between her team and Bravo, “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star NeNe Leakes will not be returning for the hit franchise’s 13th season.

“I have been on an extremely, extremely long, exhausting, tiring, emotional negotiation,” the reality star, 52, revealed to fans via her YouTube channel on Thursday. “There’s been a lot of emotion flying from both sides. It has been hard, and I have made the very hard and very difficult decision to not be a part of ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta,’ Season 13. It wasn’t an easy decision for me. It was hard.”

Leakes went on to reminisce over her time on the series, which started with the show’s debut season in 2008. She took a break from the show during Seasons 8 and 9, only to return for Seasons 10-12.

“I’m just so happy that I can say that I was a part of a genre that opened up doors for black ensemble reality shows,” Leakes said.

She went on to thank anyone who has ever “looked up” to her, her production company and Bravo for “all the memories, the laughs, the tears.”

Leakes later addressed reports that someone from her team put out a statement last week regarding her quitting the show, saying, “I have no knowledge of it, I didn’t approve it.”

“When something is this important and this near and dear to my heart, I always want to be the person to address you.”

Leakes signed off, “I will see you again real soon,” possibly teasing her return to the small screen.

While she may be putting an amicable spin on her split from Bravo, Leakes has tweeted several cryptic messages alluding to mistreatment by Bravo over the past few months.

“We wish NeNe all the best in her future endeavors and thank her for sharing her journey for over a decade with the fans of ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta,'” Bravo told Page Six in a statement. “She’s been instrumental since the start and will truly be missed, and maybe one day she’ll hold the peach again.”

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