Kenya Moore Breaks Her Silence After ‘RHOA’ Season 16 Exit
Kenya Moore has finally addressed her fans following the confirmation of her departure from “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” (RHOA) after being suspended from Season 16. The reality star’s exit comes amid an investigation into an incident during filming, where she allegedly displayed sexually explicit images of her co-star Brittany Eady at a business event she hosted.
Taking to social media, Moore expressed her gratitude and love for her supporters. “You are the best fans anyone could ever ask for and I love you all so very much. Always and forever,” she posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, along with the hashtag “#TeamTwirlForever.”
Moore’s suspension and subsequent exit from RHOA have sparked significant controversy. Many accused her of engaging in “revenge porn,” a claim she vehemently denied. “I would never engage in revenge porn, I have never distributed private images or footage of anyone, nor solicited images owned by others to use to threaten or blackmail,” Moore clarified on X. “I have always been vindicated. I can’t talk about STORY even with people planting fake news.”
The future of Moore’s involvement with RHOA remains uncertain as filming for Season 16 is still in its early stages. Despite initial reports suggesting that Bravo might leave the door open for her return, a source close to the matter told Deadline that this was never discussed.
RHOA is currently undergoing a significant reboot. Moore and Drew Sidora were the only two returning housewives from Season 15. The new season will also see the return of Porsha Williams after a two-season break, with former RHOA star Cynthia Bailey joining as a guest star. New cast members include Angela Oakley, Brittany Eady, and Kelli Ferrell.
Moore’s departure is part of a broader shakeup within the RHOA cast. Kandi Burruss, the longest-standing housewife, announced her exit after 14 seasons. Marlo Hampton also confirmed she would not return after her contract was not renewed following Season 15. Additionally, Andy Cohen revealed on his SiriusXM show that Sanya Richards-Ross would not be coming back after two seasons.
Amid these exits, Bravo confirmed that Porsha Williams would return to RHOA after a two-season hiatus. Williams’ return comes shortly after she announced her divorce from her husband, Simon Guobadia. Bravo has yet to comment on which other housewives will return for Season 16 or how many new faces will be added to the cast. The fate of Shereé Whitfield and Drew Sidora from the Season 15 cast remains unconfirmed.
Marlo Hampton, who became a full-time star on RHOA during Season 14, announced her departure ahead of Season 16. “My contract with ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ ended when season 15 wrapped,” she told People. “This break from ‘RHOA’ is a fresh start, allowing me the space to participate in new creative entertainment projects focused on my future, and not reliving my past.”
Hampton emphasized her focus on taking care of her nephews and her multifaceted lifestyle of philanthropy, fashion, and fabulosity. “I am thankful for this amazing platform of ‘Housewives,’ which has allowed me to bring awareness to foster care, my non-profit Glam It Up, Inc., and showcase my fashion showroom, Le’Archive,” she continued.
Kandi Burruss also announced her departure from RHOA after 14 consecutive seasons. “I decided I’m not coming back this year,” she told Variety at the 2024 Grammys. “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.”
Bravo has yet to announce the full cast for Season 16, but the previous season starred Burruss, Hampton, Kenya Moore, Shereé Whitfield, Drew Sidora, and Sanya Richards-Ross. The other women have kept tight-lipped about their return, but Bravo confirmed that Porsha Williams would be coming back to the franchise after a three-year hiatus.
Williams expressed her excitement about returning to RHOA. “I’m incredibly thankful for the vision and faith NBCUniversal has put in me to be a larger part of their family,” she said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to being back on ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta,’ and showing the world my new world!”
The popular franchise has been on a filming hiatus since finishing Season 15 in September 2023. As the cast undergoes significant changes, fans eagerly await the new dynamics and storylines that Season 16 will bring.
Source: Deadline, People, Variety
