'RHOA' Legend NeNe Leakes Claims Producers 'Never Offered' Her A Chance to Return to the Show

NeNe Leakes says any talk of a Real Housewives of Atlanta comeback for season 17 didn’t originate with her.

In an Instagram comment on Tuesday, August 12, the 57-year-old reality star wrote that producers “have NEVER offered me to return!” on a RealityBlurb post about next season. She added a brief sign-off to the current lineup: “Good luck to season 17 cast. We will be watching 👏.”

Her clarification followed fresh chatter around the season’s cast. Us Weekly (via Yahoo!) reported that Kim Zolciak-Biermann and Shereé Whitfield are allegedly set to appear in season 17, citing Atlanta blogger Michelle “ATLien” Brown, who said on her YouTube channel that “it ain’t happening. Not season 17,” in reference to NeNe Leakes rejoining the show.

Brown also claimed, “Shereé Whitfield has signed her contract, and she will be on as a peach-holding Housewife.” Us Weekly said it reached out to Bravo for comment.

The Instagram update arrives a month after separate headlines about NeNe Leakes and a possible return to reality TV—this time on The Traitors.

During a July 7 appearance on the Humble Brag with Crystal and Cynthia podcast, Leakes said, “I was asked to do Traitors—I was really excited about doing it,” but explained she ultimately stepped back in May when her son Brentt, who previously survived a stroke at 22 and a heart transplant, was hospitalized after his body began rejecting the new organ.

“He just turned a curve,” Leakes explained, “but he’s got a little while longer.” Filming overseas for several weeks felt unrealistic. “My fear was committing and then having to go back and say, “I can’t do it.””

Leakes also refuted speculation that pay was the issue. “No, no, no. I got the check,” she said. “If Brentt were where he is today—walking and talking—I would’ve gone. We can FaceTime.”

Brentt’s recovery is trending upward, and Porsha Williams is in The Traitors lineup, with the series slated to debut on Peacock in 2026. She has previously indicated openness to returning.