The Real Housewives of New Jersey (RHONJ) has become a cornerstone of reality TV over the years, and when production on the show was paused, fans were left wondering what was next for their favorite housewives. While fans are eagerly waiting to see what the future holds, Dolores Catania has compared the hiatus to a breakup while Teresa Giudice says Bravo took a break for a reason.
When asked by Us Weekly if they were hopeful about the future of RHONJ, Teresa Giudice was quick to respond with her signature optimism. “Yeah, we’re always hopeful,” she said, clearly holding onto the belief that the show would eventually return. Dolores Catania, however, took a deeper approach, acknowledging the emotional aspect of the break. “We’re workers. I know I like it. She’s (Teresa) a worker. I am a worker and you know it’s a part of you, right? But it doesn’t define you, not us anyway, but it is a part of our lives that is missed.”
While both women are busy with their personal lives, Dolores made it clear that the show, though important, isn’t everything. Still, the absence of RHONJ has left a void. “It’s a part of our lives that is missed,” she added, expressing how strange it is not to be filming after so many years of doing so.
As the conversation shifted to how strange it has been not filming, Teresa spoke about the relief she’s found. “I have been relaxing, drama-free,” she said, clearly enjoying the break from the usual chaos. Dolores, on the other hand, described the adjustment as more complicated. “At first you’re running on adrenaline of what you have to do and what’s expected of you,” she explained. “And then all of a sudden, it’s like, wait—it’s been a while now since I’ve done that.”
Dolores went on to say, “You go through a little thing like almost like a breakup. I feel like a relationship breakup, and then you’re like, you take a little break, and then you’re like, okay, I want to start going again.” She continued, describing the emotional rollercoaster that followed: “Sure, it’s all different. It’s like, yeah, it’s almost not like a death, but you go through all different things.”
The ladies were joined by Shannon Beador, who chimed in with her own experience. When Dolores asked Shannon how long she had been filming The Real Housewives of Orange County, Shannon responded, “I was just understanding, and after I think it was COVID—our show took like a year. It was a long pause too, and that was hard.”
Dolores then pointed out the length of the RHONJ break, clarifying, “We haven’t filmed RHONJ in two years,” which caused Teresa to reflect on the break with surprising clarity. “It doesn’t feel that long,” she said, adding that the pause was much-needed. “Listen, it was very toxic,” she stated, referencing the intense atmosphere that had developed on the show in the past seasons. Dolores, ever the poetic one, followed up with a reference to Frank Sinatra’s famous lyrics: “There’s a Frank Sinatra song that it was too hot, so hot it had to cool down.”
What Would It Take for RHONJ to Return?
The conversation took a more serious turn when the topic of returning to the RHONJ environment came up. Teresa was asked if she thought she could step back into that high-stakes atmosphere, or if it would need to be different for her to return. Her response was revealing: “Obviously, Bravo took a break for a reason, so I’m sure if they come back, there will be changes.”
Dolores agreed, though she admitted she wouldn’t want to be the one to make the decision about how the show should evolve. “I wouldn’t want to have to make their decision. That’s a very hard decision for them. I think it’s something that definitely, at this point, has to happen. I don’t think it’s something they ever wanted to do, but it’s being done. And I don’t know what’s taken them so long,” Dolores said, acknowledging the complexities involved in bringing the show back.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding RHONJ’s future, the women seem to agree on one thing: they’re hopeful for a positive outcome.
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