Wendy Williams Says NeNe Leakes Is Quitting ‘RHOA’

Wendy Williams claimed NeNe Leakes is quitting Real Housewives of Atlanta, but now the Bravo reality star is denying the claim. Williams made the announcement on her daytime talk show Tuesday.

“It’s been an especially difficult couple of weeks for NeNe, and she was venting to her friend in private correspondence,” Leakes’ rep told Entertainment Tonight Wednesday. “Nothing has been confirmed or officially decided for next season.”

On Tuesday’s episode, Williams said she received a message from Leakes on her phone. “I took a break between commercials, my office is right there behind the set. And I had to go to the bathroom and so I looked at my phone between commercials. And NeNe texts, ‘I’m quitting,'” Williams told her audience. “[At] 9:08 this morning! I’m surprised I got it, because I have no service in my office, but I got it.”

She continued: “I know something about NeNe that you all will cry, be sad, feel bad for her. She’s carrying the weight of a huge thing on her shoulders… I’m not going to say it, she’s got to say it. But in my opinion, NeNe… you need this platform to explain the other part of your life.”

Leakes is known for being outspoken. She’s one of the original members of Real Housewives of Atlanta. Her bio on Bravo describes her as having a “no-nonsense demeanor” and a “’tell-it-like-it-is’ attitude.”

This year, Leakes’ main focus has been on business, as noted in her bio. “Leakes is busier than ever. Last year, her life was turned upside down with Gregg’s cancer diagnosis, and Nene shifted her priorities from touring the country to stay by his side. Thankfully, Gregg is finally cancer-free and the couple is excited to focus on rebuilding their relationship,” it says. “Always moving forward, Nene continues to branch out with new business ventures, including encouraging fellow female entrepreneurs and maintaining her second location of Swagg Boutique inside the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in National Harbor.”

Leakes Posted a YouTube Video the Same Day Williams Made The Announcement

Leakes shared a social media update an hour before Williams said the Bravo star was rumored to be leaving the series, but she didn’t confirm or deny the talk show host’s announcement. In the comments section under he post, fans were worried something had happened to Leakes and wanted to make sure she was OK.

While Leakes apparently told Williams about her decision to leave the show, she didn’t immediately issue a social media statement about quitting on YouTube, Instagram or Twitter.

Leakes Shared A Cryptic Instagram Message About Goodbyes

Leakes hinted she would be leaving the show on Instagram the day before Williams said she was quitting. She shared a cryptic message that read, “Sometimes our biggest blessings are wrapped up in a goodbye.” The reality star didn’t add a caption. The post was liked more than 42,000 times by her 3.4 million followers. It also garnered hundreds of comments, where some fans said they hoped she wasn’t leaving the series.

Leakes Seemingly Denied Williams’ Statement

But the decision isn’t final. Hours after Williams’ statement, Leakes took to Instagram where she apparently addressed the rumor. “WHO SAID DAT!?!?! #SMH” she wrote. Fans in the comment section were mostly confused, though many people wrote she was probably addressing Williams.

Kenya Moore Wants Leakes To Quit

The day before Williams made the announcement, co-star Kenya Moore, 48, told Us Weekly Leakes, 52, should leave the Real Housewives franchise. The two have been feuding sine Season 12, where they got in a physical fight and exchanged hateful language.

“Even when I came back as an 8-month-pregnant woman, she had a problem with that. I just don’t know why she’s so intimidated by me, why she resents my presence so much,” Moore told the magazine. “I’ve been nothing but a friend to her. I left the show as her friend and she just did some things while I was pregnant that made me say, ‘You know what? This woman is just not my friend and I’m not going to pretend anymore.’ I think that’s what pregnancy hormones did to me, just made me see people for who they really are.”

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