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Andy Cohen recently shed light on the future of two beloved Bravo franchises: The Real Housewives of New Jersey and The Real Housewives of New York City. During a lively discussion at BravoCon alongside Jeff Lewis, Cohen addressed the much-anticipated return of these shows and dispelled some swirling rumors.
Credit: Nicole Weingart/Bravo
In a candid moment, Cohen opened up about a recent get-together involving Teresa Giudice and the Gorgas—Joe and Melissa—but explained why this reunion wasn’t captured on film. He also tackled speculation about a potential hybrid cast for RHONY and provided insights into why RHONJ has seen a delay in its return.
Cohen emphasized the importance of assembling the perfect cast, similar to what they achieved with The Real Housewives of Atlanta. “Before bringing [RHOA] back for season 16, we wanted to ensure we had the right mix,” Cohen explained. He highlighted the addition of Angela Oakley, Shamea Morton, and the return of Phaedra Parks, as well as newcomer Kelli Ferrell, as pivotal in crafting a compelling lineup. “When we do bring back [RHONJ], it will be because we have found the exact right group,” he noted, underscoring Bravo’s commitment to quality storytelling.
Addressing the future of RHONY, Cohen revealed, “We’re close,” suggesting that fans might not have to wait much longer for the show’s return. He also put to rest any rumors that the upcoming 16th season would feature cast members from the previous season or include a mix of original series veterans.
At another moment, shared by Bravo Betch, Andy said, “We’re close,” when asked about RHONY, and denied that the 16th season would include members from season 15, along with numerous OGs of the series.
“No. Not true,” he stated.
He was then asked who he would reconcile with first out of Nene Leakes, 57, Kathy Griffin, 65, and Bethenny Frankel, 55.
“I think never say never about anyone, but to throw, I mean, Kathy and I emailed the other day,” he replied, via Gabbing with Gib on Instagram. “[And] Nene and I texted a few months ago.”
Meanwhile, speaking to Us Weekly, Andy shared his thoughts on Teresa’s meeting with Joe and Melissa.
“I hoped so, and we’ll see how it plays out,” he stated.
As for whether the reconciliation was prompted by Teresa and Melissa’s desire to get back on RHONJ, Andy admitted he didn’t know.
“I have no idea. I told both of them, you guys, I think that’s one of the reasons we didn’t pick cameras up. They have to do this for themselves. It should have nothing to do with us,” he stated. “We’d shot that scene many times before.”
He also said the series would return “when it’s right.”
The Real Housewives of New Jersey has been on pause since the end of its 14th season in August 2024.