Heavy/Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen/YouTube Andy Cohen
“The Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Porsha Williams announced her return to the series for its upcoming 16th season earlier in February 2024. Shortly after the announcement, Williams filed for divorce from her second husband, Simon Guobadia. Williams and Guobadia were engaged after only a month of dating, shortly after Williams’ last appearance on RHOA, at the end of season 13 in 2021.
“Watch What Happens Live” host and Bravo higher-up Andy Cohen addressed the divorce news on his SiriusXM radio show, “Radio Andy”, in a clip that was shared to YouTube on February 26.
Hear what Cohen had to say below.
Andy Cohen Was Surprised By Porsha Williams’ Divorce News
“Wanted to talk a little ‘Housewives’ news. First of all, Porsha announced last week that she is leaving Simon. I gotta tell you something, I was saying to the other producers of ‘Atlanta’ when the news started breaking about Simon and some of his immigration issues, I was so surprised. None of us knew any of this was on the horizon,” Cohen said on-air.
In the days between Williams’ return to RHOA being announced and People first reporting that she filed for divorce on February 23, rumors began to swirl online that Guobadia was involved in legal issues, with allegations of fraud and questions over his citizenship status (Guobadia is originally from Nigeria).
Despite the details of Williams’ decision to file remaining unknown, according to People, one source made it clear that they were “unrelated to recent allegations involving Simon’s past.”
In his radio show, Cohen went on to share that he and the RHOA producers were not expecting Williams and Guobadia’s split. Although the plan is always to film the “Housewives” living their lives authentically, Cohen did admit that he had thought about Williams’ storyline as she was set to return to the series as well.
“This was really meant to be Porsha’s ‘happily ever after’, kind of ‘victory lap’ season. I was so surprised and taken aback. Listen, we wanted Porsha on the show for Porsha. We would take Porsha married, single, picking up the pieces of her life, on high, on low, however she wants, however she’s going to be. But we didn’t know, and this is really a big right turn from the story that all of us thought we would be telling. Sending love to Porsha,” Cohen said.
Porsha Williams Shared a Message With Fans
Although Williams has not opened up in-depth about her divorce news, she shared a message of gratitude with fans in a February 25 Instagram post. The post was a simple screenshot of the message “Thank you for your prayers & support. 💔 🙏🏾 -PW,” and fans and friends alike took to the comment section to react and send Williams their love.
“🙏🏾 🙏🏾 🙏🏾,” Williams’ RHOA co-star Kenya Moore wrote.
“Love you shugga! ❤️ ❤️,” RHOA alum Kim Zolciak-Biermann commented.
“We love you Porsha,” one fan added.
Some users were skeptical of the announcement given its proximity to Williams’ RHOA return, with one user writing, “Girl bye Porsha! We know y’all doing this for the ratings on RHOA😩 this is giving very much scripted. Y’all caused all this confusion to be together now y’all getting a divorce?…. Bye ain’t fooling me 🤣🤣🤣.”
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