Danielle Staub Quits ‘RHONJ’: 'I Will Be Never Returning As a Housewife Again'
Jan. 9 2020, Updated 8:57 p.m. ET
Danielle Staub is ready to step away from the Real Housewives of New Jersey.
The reality star, 57, announced the news during the January 8 airing of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, shocking both fans and Andy Cohen himself.
"I have over the past 12 years and 10 seasons been a part of this whole franchise and I've been very happy to rally and stand on the platform and be here with all of you, but it is time for me to leave and do something that I want to do that makes my heart happy every day,” the reality star said. “So I will be never returning as a Housewife again..."
When Cohen, 51, warned her not to make use of the word "never,” she replied, "Nope, never returning as a Housewife again... with the Jersey girls.”
"This is entirely your move, I just want to point that out,” the host said. “And I didn't expect you to say the word 'never.' I've gotta digest this during the commercial break."
Following the show, Danielle took to her Instagram Story, writing, "No more Jersey but forever an #original."
On her actual page, she posted a photo of her and Cohen, and thanked him for his “support” and for giving her A “launching pad” for her next venture: a cooking channel.
It is not clear why Danielle is stepping away from RHONJ,but her rapport with the other ladies hasn't always been great.
RadarOnline.com readers know Danielle and Teresa Giudice first made the famed show worth the watch with their infamous table-flipping scene.
They also got into it when Danielle got blasted for her jailhouse comments about Joe Giudice.
When Danielle was getting married, sources claimed to RadarOnline.com exclusively at the time she'd turned into a bridezilla.
“All of the ladies are on lockdown for Danielle’s wedding and they’re not allowed to post to social media,” a source exclusively told RadarOnline.com at the time.
Despite the Bravo star’s decision to part ways with RHONJ, her ex husband Marty Caffrey actually believes she played a vital role in her castmates' careers.
“I don’t know why everyone is hating on @danielle_staub in the comments,” a Twitter user once wrote. “If it wasn’t for her New Jersey housewives would have been canceled. She put them on the map! Period.”
Marty agreed with this comment and replied, “They all owe their paychecks and careers to @danielle_staub when they really think about it. There’s a reason she was Andy’s first guest on Watch What Happens Live and Teresa wasn’t.”
He added, “Even today they all have to constantly invoke Danielle to be relevant when she’s not even there to stand up for herself. Without her, do any of them have a storyline to this day?”