‘RHOA’ alum NeNe Leakes confirms long-awaited return to Bravo as Andy Cohen reacts

NeNe Leakes is back, baby!

The “Real Housewives of Atlanta” alum will be making her long-awaited return to Bravo following Page Six’s exclusive report about her negotiating an appearance in the next installment of “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip.”

“This has been a really long, long journey,” an emotional Leakes, 58, began a selfie-style Instagram video Wednesday.

“I’m happy, overjoyed, to say that I will be returning to Bravo. I almost can’t even believe the words that are coming out of my mouth. I’m so happy. I’m just so happy.”

She went on to thank all the showrunners and producers — including executive Andy Cohen — who have “worked to make this happen” and “continued to throw [her] name in the ring over and over again.”

That includes her former co-stars Porsha Williams, whom she described as her “little sister,” and Phaedra Parks.

“I’m really grateful for that,” Leakes gushed, going on to squeal, “I’m just doggone excited to do this! I’m excited to see all of you girls. It’s going to be a tiiiiime! YES! Bitches, I am back. Now pick your faces up off the floor, OK? See you on Bravo. Love you!”

Among a sea of celebratory comments beneath the post was Cohen’s, which read, “Couldn’t celebrate 20 years without you 👏,” as the forthcoming spinoff aligns with the 20th anniversary of the “Real Housewives” franchise.

He went on to tell his radio show listeners of the road trip-style show, “She’s gonna be making an appearance. When we go to Atlanta, she’s gonna be there. … People are really happy about it. Listen, we are going to be celebrating 20 years of ‘Housewives,’ and it would be hard … to without her. And so I’m happy about it.”

Cohen, 57, later revealed on “Watch What Happens Live” that the show has the working title “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th,” with the core cast including Williams, Vicki Gunvalson, Luann de Lesseps, Teresa Giudice, Kyle Richards, Gizelle Bryant and Lisa Barlow.

Last month, Page Six revealed that Leakes was “in talks” with Bravo about joining the forthcoming season of “RHUGT,” expected to film early this year.

Cohen announced the show in November 2025 at BravoCon, during which he also revealed that he and Leakes had actually “texted a few months ago.”

Her network comeback is significant.

As fans remember, Leakes quit “RHOA” — despite her OG status — in September 2020.

“I have been on an extremely, extremely long, exhausting, tiring, emotional negotiation,” she announced at the time, explaining that “there’s been a lot of emotion flying from both sides.”

She ultimately made the “very hard and very difficult decision” to exit the series ahead of Season 13.

In April 2022, the mother of two filed a bombshell lawsuit against Bravo, Cohen and associated companies, accusing them of “foster[ing] a corporate and workplace culture in which racially insensitive and inappropriate behavior is tolerated — if not, encouraged.”

Leakes alleged that her complaints of racism led in part to her being “forced” out of the “house she built.”

However, after four months of “negotiating” between the parties, Leakes filed to dismiss the case “without prejudice,” giving her the ability to reopen it at a later time.