NeNe Leakes is reality TV royalty thanks to her run on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” Recently, rumors began to surface that NeNe could have been on the cast of “The Traitors” season four. Now she’s confirming this and stating why she turned it down.
NeNe Leakes appeared on the “Humble Brag” podcast, hosted by Cynthia Bailey and Crystal Kung Minkoff. Notably, NeNe and Cynthia have a history with one another as they were both on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”
During the episode, Cynthia asked NeNe Leakes about the rumors that the producers of “The Traitors” had asked her to join the cast for the fourth season. NeNe said, “Yes, I was asked to do Traitors.” Regarding why she didn’t ultimately sign on, she revealed, “So, I was asked to do Traitors. I was really excited about doing it.”
The former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star continued, “I couldn’t do Traitors because my son was in the hospital, and he’s still in the hospital.” She went on to say that he has been in the hospital since May.
NeNe Leakes’ Son Has Had Health Issues Over the Last Few Years
NeNe Leakes didn’t say which son was in the hospital. It’s important to note that her son, Brentt Leakes, has had significant health issues. According to Essence, Brentt revealed in 2024 that he had undergone a heart transplant. He was 25 years old at the time and also received a diagnosis of congestive heart failure.
NeNe Leakes’ son said at the time on social media, “To begin with, let me say, ‘Thank you, God.’ This year was undoubtedly the craziest for me. After several trips to the hospital and many doctors’ appointments, I finally heard the unexpected news that I was diagnosed with “congestive Heart Failure” On June 19 (Ish).”
He continued on Instagram, “In July of this year, I went into a 14-hour heart transplant surgery and now have a brand new heart in me. Now that I’m back (still in recovery), I’ve essentially had to relearn how to walk and communicate, but I’m even more fluent.”
The ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ Alum Also discussed Returning to The Show
While on “Humble Brag,” Cynthia Bailey asked NeNe Leakes if she would consider returning to “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” as a friend of the show instead of a full-time cast member. She stated that while she appreciates the conveniences of being part-time, she’s unsure if she would be a friend of considering she debuted on the show in its first season.
It’s also worth noting that NeNe Leakes has answered questions about returning to the show. She has expressed some interest in doing so.