Kandi Burruss Announces 'RHOA' Departure During Grammys Red Carpet: 'I Decided I’m Not Coming Back This Year'
"Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Kandi Burruss revealed that she would not be returning to the show for season 16.
Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kandi Burruss revealed that she would not be returning to the show for season 16 – and she made the sudden announcement at this year’s Grammy Awards.
RadarOnline.com has learned that Kandi, 47, was offered a contract to return to RHOA for season 16 but opted not to accept the offer.
Instead, the singer and actress plans to focus on several “nice big projects” she has “coming soon.” She also suggested that the delay in production played a role in her decision.
"I decided I’m not coming back this year," Kandi told a reporter on the 2024 Grammy Awards red carpet.
But while Kandi confirmed that she will not be back for the upcoming 16th season, she did not rule out the possibility of returning to RHOA at some other time in the future.
"A friend of mine was like: Why do you keep doing it?” she explained on Sunday night. “And I was like: Well, I think because I’ve just been doing it so long, feels weird to think not to do it.”
Kandi made the sudden announcement at this year’s Grammy Awards.
"So I was just like: You know what? I’m going to take a break, I’m going to take a moment,” she continued. "It’s been 14 seasons, and they allowed us to sit around for a little too long.”
"But during that time I had started working on a lot of other things, and I got some nice big projects coming soon, so I’m super excited about those things,” Kandi concluded.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Kandi’s sudden decision not to return to RHOA for season 16 came months after rumors swirled that she and her co-star Kenya Moore might be “axed” from the popular Bravo show.
Even more shocking were rumors that the RHOA producers considered recasting the entire show and starting from square one with a new cast and a clean slate.
- Porsha Williams Returning to 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' as Kandi Burruss Exits: Report
- 'RHOA' Shakeup: Porsha Williams Hasn't Signed Contract for Season 16 Comeback, Source Reveals
- 'RHOA' Star Kandi Burruss Returning For Season 15 With Massive $2 Million+ Contract, Producers Adding Beauty Guru Janell Stephens To Cast
The longest-standing RHOA star Kandi Burruss will not be back.
“They are worried Bravo will pull a recast on them as they did to the cast of Real Housewives of New York,” a source familiar with the situation spilled last year.
“None of them feel safe, even Kandi,” the insider added.
Never miss a story — sign up for the RadarOnline.com newsletter to get your daily dose of dope. Daily. Breaking. Celebrity news. All free.
Although the show’s producers did not launch a full reboot as was rumored, Real Housewives executive producer Andy Cohen did confirm that production for RHOA season 16 was “on hold” as the cast was “reworked.”
Kandi joined RHOA in 2009 during the show’s second season – meaning her tenure on the Bravo hit program lasted roughly 15 years.
Kandi first appeared on "RHOA" during season two in 2009.
She met her husband, Todd Tucker, during her first year on the show.
The pair went on to marry in April 2014 and have since welcomed two children: son Ace, 7, and daughter Blaze, 3.
Powered by RedCircle