Andy Cohen stunned Real Housewives of New Jersey fans at BravoCon when he addressed the long-awaited return of RHONJ. Despite rumors and fan anticipation, he made it crystal clear: “There is no Jersey announcement.”
Speaking on the podcast Housewives Nightcap, Cohen didn’t sugarcoat the situation. When asked if devoted fans would hear a casting update, he said:
“Well, I can tell you you’re not going to get one. Okay? There is no Jersey announcement.”
He added:
“We will announce something when the casting’s right. Okay?”
And he emphasized the stakes for the franchise:
“We are not going to be backed into something that’s not going to be great because the Jersey fans deserve greatness. And we’re not there yet. I’m just being real.”
RHONJ has been on pause long enough that some fans joked they might forget where New Jersey even is, but Cohen’s comments make it clear that Bravo is holding off until they can deliver the quality fans expect.
RHONJ Is Close, But Not Quite There
While the announcement may be off the table for now, Cohen has hinted that things are moving behind the scenes. Speaking to Parade months ago, he confirmed:
“We’re close.”
On The View, he elaborated:
“It was really on a deep pause and we are actively there casting and kind of looking at the future of what that will be. It’s a great franchise and we love it. I just have to reiterate that.”
He also cautioned against rushing things:
“Some things take time, and we want to take a minute to figure things out. There’s no point in rushing into something just to rush into something.”
And addressing cast tensions, Cohen noted:
“I just think that there’s a supreme level of kind of distrust amongst the cast with each other. And that’s never healthy in terms of trying to make a great television show.”
Why This Matters
Fans were expecting a big BravoCon announcement, but Cohen’s comments confirm that the network is being strategic. His repeated emphasis on timing and casting quality underscores that RHONJ isn’t returning just for the sake of it — the franchise is being carefully managed.
Key points to remember:
- No official announcement yet: “We will announce something when the casting’s right.”
- The franchise is on a “deep pause,” but work is happening behind the scenes.
- Cast tensions are part of the delay: “distrust… never healthy.”
- Cohen’s “we’re close” hints at progress but not an immediate return.
What Fans Should Watch For
- Casting announcements: fans should stay tuned for official news when the timing is right.
- Possible format changes: the traditional reunion structure has already been tweaked.
- New faces or shake-ups: Cohen has suggested that decisions are still in progress and the show could look different when it returns.
For now, RHONJ fans will have to stay patient. As Andy Cohen put it bluntly: “We are not going to be backed into something that’s not going to be great because the Jersey fans deserve greatness. And we’re not there yet. I’m just being real.”
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