Cynthia Bailey expressed her views about NeNe Leakes keeping her peach on The Real Housewives of Atlanta .
The model and entrepreneur sat down with Hollywood Life to discuss Leakes possibly leaving the Bravo series after Season 12. Although she has been on the show for most of the time it’s been on-air, Leakes has shared that filming isn’t as fun for her as it once was. She has also ended relationships with her longtime friends, including Bailey in Season 11.
Viewers recently watched as Bailey and Leakes decided to fix their relationship during the Sunday, February 16, episode. The ladies decided to put their differences aside after spewing negative comments about one another on the show and online. Now that they’re friends again, Bailey feels that Leakes is still a great asset. She also shared that Leakes has made a strong impact on RHOA and fans 0f the series will be upset by her exit.
“You know what? I think everyone on this show makes the show, but I’ve always given NeNe her props. When people think of the show, a lot of people think of her. I’m never going to take that away from her,” Bailey said.
Bailey explained that Leakes was her first friend when she joined the series back in 2010. Fans of The Real Housewives of Atlanta will know that the ladies have been by each other’s side for several moments during various seasons. One instance was Bailey’s public marriage and eventual divorce from her ex-husband, Peter Thomas.
Bailey also mentioned that, ultimately, she wants Leakes to make a decision that would benefit her the most. While the two women have mended their friendship, Leakes still has beef with Kenya Moore, who is close friends with Bailey. Moore and Leakes have been on the outs with one another for years, and the latter reportedly feels that Moore intentionally makes her out to be a “villain” on the show. Moore has also said that she thinks RHOA will benefit from Leakes’ exit.
“I want NeNe to do what’s best for her, whatever’s going to make her happy,” Bailey said. “If staying on the show makes her happy, she should stay. If walking away from the show makes her happy, then she should walk away.”
Leakes has yet to make a public decision if she will leave RHOA . The series’ only original cast member left briefly back in 2015 but made her return two seasons later.