“Real Housewives of Potomac“ star Candiace Dillard opened up about Monique Samuels’ departure from the franchise during an interview with “Entertainment Tonight” on April 5. Samuels announced she was leaving “RHOP” last December following the “certain boundaries” that were crossed in season 5, which included the physical altercation with Dillard and rumors about Samuels’ alleged affair that supposedly produced her youngest child.
Dillard was promoting her guest appearance on Netflix’s original series “Family Reunion,” starring Tia Mowry. The show also guest starred other “Housewives” alums, including “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Kenya Moore and “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Brandi Glenville.
Dillard told “ET” that although she couldn’t confirm if there will be a season 6 of “RHOP,” she hoped the remaining ladies would come together and move on from the past drama.
The “RHOP” star said on mark 8:13, “I would hope that we could come together as a group and find a way to healthily and happily move forward and make room for new drama. I’m so over season 5 and talking about season 5 and what happened in season 5. I would want a season 6 to be a new chapter for our group.”
The 34-year-old mentioned that her former co-star Monique Samuels’ exit from the show took a “load off” of every party involved in the season 5 fiasco.
Dillard said, “I definitely think that that announcement was a load off of all of us. Season 5 was dark. It was very heavy, and it took on a life of its own, right? It became bigger than all of us, even. I’m close to several of our producers, and it affected everybody, not just the cast, but everyone.”
She continued, “So, anytime you have a dark cloud, when that cloud is removed, it obviously lifts the morale of the group and allows a space for us to move forward. And it’s just up to us to take that path and move forward. And I would hope that if we’re coming back that that’s what we’re able to do.”
In the interview, Dillard also candidly discussed the counseling session she received from “RHOA” star Kenya Moore while they were on the set of “Family Reunion.” The Prima Hair Collection founder revealed she asked Moore how to overcome a draining season of a show.
Dillard disclosed that the former beauty queen told her on mark 4:46: “It was very much like, ‘You can get through this. It’s not going to be like this forever. Fans move on quickly. And when they move on, it will be incumbent upon you to use the clean slate wisely. And focus on things that you have going on. … So, it was very, like, big sister-like. Just, ‘You can get through it and you will make it to the other side.'”
Dillard and Samuels’ physical altercation occurred in 2019 but was later aired on national television the following year. In the episode, Samuels is seen grabbing Dillard’s hair and pulling her down after the women’s heated argument. Samuels claimed she didn’t “swing first” until Dillard allegedly hit her in the face with a wine glass.
Following the altercation, Dillard filed second-degree assault charges and Samuels filed counter-assault charges, but both cases were eventually dismissed in December 2019.
