Jackie Goldschneider is addressing her “Real Housewives of New Jersey” demotion.
During an interview with People that was published on Dec. 21, Goldschneider explained why exactly her role this season was changed to “friend of” instead of full-time. Last season, Goldschneider began seeking treatment for her 18-year eating disorder, which she documented on camera, which she says played a big role in why she decided to take a step back.
“When Bravo approached me about casting for season 13, I obviously was very excited to be a part of the show again because I love the show,” Goldschneider told the outlet. “But my recovery was not in the place that I expected it to be. It was moving very slowly. I was still being triggered by stress and I still needed a lot of intense therapy.”
Goldschneider said of the Bravo network, “They were so supportive. And even though that was a really tough pill to swallow and it was hard for me to step back a little bit after having been such a big part of the show for so many years, I really knew that that was probably the best solution.”
Jackie Goldschneider Enjoyed Being a ‘Friend of’ This Season
While speaking with People, Goldschneider admitted that she did enjoy being a “friend of” on this past season of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey.”
“It really was the sweet spot for me, being a Friend,” Goldschneider told the outlet. “I had a killer season and, aside from seeing the poster without my face on it — which is a little bit of an ego punch — other than that, I really don’t feel like there was that big of a difference between this season or any other season for me as far as being in the mix. It was just much less stress.”
Jackie Goldschneider Has Opened up About Her Eating Disorder Before
This is not the first time that Goldschneider has spoken about the effects her eating disorder has had on her. While speaking with Us Weekly in April 2022, Goldschneider revealed more about her battle.
“The eating disorder controlled everything,” Goldschneider told the outlet at the time. “It really does change everything in your life.”
“Parts of it have been really filled with joy, the parts where I’m learning to eat new foods and that’s been a joy for me. What hasn’t been a joy for me is my body,” Goldschneider said. “I work a lot on not defining myself by my weight and not putting so much emphasis on my body size and external validation.”
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