Fans of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” are expecting a first look at season 17 any day now. Despite being excited about the upcoming RHOA season, which will feature fan favorites like Phaedra Parks and Cynthia Bailey, there are several former cast members viewers want back on the hit Bravo series. Here are four.
Fans of ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’ Want NeNe Leakes Back
GettyNeNe Leakes is one of the founding castmembers of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” Despite not appearing on the series since 2020, her legacy lives on, as she’s regarded as one of the most-quoted “Real Housewives” stars across all shows.
As a result, there has been significant demand for Leakes to return to the show she helped put on the map, and that made her a star. More recently, it’s been announced that the former RHOA fixture would be included in the upcoming “Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th.”
This announcement has led many to wonder if she could be cast for season 18 of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” It’s also worth noting that Andy Cohen, with whom Leakes had a longstanding feud, recently made flattering comments about the star. Luckily, The Bravo Babe on X has the clip.
He said on his show, “Radio Andy Live,” “She’s gonna be making an appearance. When we go to Atlanta, she ‘gon be there. People are happy about it. We are going to be celebrating 20 years of Housewives, and it would be hard without her. I’m happy about it.”
Fans Want Sheree Whitfield on RHOA in Some Capacity
Sheree Whitfield is also an original cast member of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” She’s left the show and returned multiple times, but her last time as a cast member was during season 15, which aired in 2023.
Since she left, many longtime RHOA fans have missed the balance she brought to the show and the longstanding storylines. This includes her years-long saga of moving into Chateau Sheree and finally launching her clothing brand, She by Sheree, in 2022.
Whitfield attended BravoCon 2025 and spoke to Access Hollywood while on the red carpet. When asked whether she would be featured on season 17 of RHOA, she said she would not be. However, she also stated that the network asked her to come back.
When asked if she would ever be open to returning, she said, “I am open to it. They asked me to come back in a capacity this season.” Regarding why she said no, the former RHOA star said, “Money talkes and it wasn’t speaking loudly enough.”
Fans will see Whitfield on “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th.”
Some Viewers Want Kim Zolciak to Return
GettyKim Zolciak is one of the founding cast members of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” She left the show midway through season five and then returned as a friend for its 10th season. Zolciak later appeared in a season 15 episode.
While many will note that Zolciak left the show on a sour note, other fans believe she has changed over the years. This is especially true given that she’s been on good terms with many of her former costars in recent years.
Recently, Parks, stated that she would like to see Zolciak return. She told PEOPLE, “If Kim Zolciak comes back, I think that would be very interesting. Kim is TV gold. She’s always been TV gold.” Zolciak will also appear in the upcoming “Ultimate Girls Trip” limited series.
RHOA Fans Want Marlo Hampton Back as a Friend of The Show
GettyMarlo Hampton joined “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” during its fourth season as a friend of the show. She appeared sporadically throughout the seasons, always leaving a lasting impression on viewers. This is so much the case that she finally became a full-time cast member for seasons 14 and 15.
According to Deadline, Hampton announced her departure from the show in February 2024. Since then, fans have reached a consensus that she thrives as a friend of the show and that her presence is needed, even with a mostly new group of ladies.
Like Leakes, Whitfield, and Zolciak, Hampton will also be included on “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th.
I stopped watching the Real housewives of Atlanta as Porcha was the only one I recognized & the rest were just too boring. So, I’m up for bringing back the OG’s….then I go back to watching