Cynthia Bailey revealed during a recent interview with Page Six one factor that contributed to her departure from “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Bailey, who joined “RHOA” in 2010, announced she was leaving the series last month on Instagram after 11 seasons.
The 54-year-old said that “protecting” her second marriage to journalist Mike Hill was important to her after experiencing the downfall of her relationship with Peter Thomas. Thomas and Bailey were married from 2010 to 2016 and also frequently appeared on the series together.
She told the publication,“After going through my divorce with my ex [Peter Thomas], I’m very protective of my second marriage because, you know, I really want it to work, and I want to do everything that I can to protect it and to protect Mike.”
Bailey added while discussing her marriage to Thomas, “Honestly, whether we were on the show or not, I don’t think it would have worked out now. Now, let be very clear, I don’t think being on the show helps your relationship. But if your relationship is not solid or there’s issues you guys are dealing with, those issues are going to play out, whether you on the show or not. So that’s just what it is.”
The former “RHOA” star wrapped up her statement by saying how supportive Hill has been during this transitional period of her life. “Mike is supportive either way. But I think he is very excited for me to to be in on television in other ways, something a little less drama based.”
Bailey and Hill tied the knot last year on Oct. 10. The ceremony, which included appearances from Bailey’s former “RHOA” co-stars, took place in Georgia. The couple recently celebrated their first wedding anniversary earlier this month by posting sentimental messages on their respective Instagram accounts.
Bailey wrote, while showing off her cake from Mastro’s Restaurants,
“may our marriage always be as buttery as the butter cake at @mastrosofficial! thank you for a beautiful evening!”
Hill said in a lengthy post alongside a photo of the pair, “Time flies when you’re having fun and you’re in love with your best friend. It’s NOT hard to believe it’s been a year already because when you’re completely invested in a lifetime, time seems to stand still.”