Phaedra Parks is returning to “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” seven years after she was exiled from the franchise. News of her rejoining for Season 16 was announced by the entrepreneur on July 29.
The network has yet to confirm her status as a full-time cast member, but photos of her holding the symbolic peach insinuate such.
In a carousel of images shared on Instagram, Parks is posed in front of Louis Vuitton luggage and a small jet. Dressed in a tweed skirt and crop top, she made certain that the Southern juicy fruit was placed prominently, leaving no room for uncertainty about the shocking news.
In the caption, she made it even more clear that she would once again be a contributor to the Atlanta housewives storylines. “You called. I answered. #RHOA #S16,” she wrote. Comments on the post were limited, leaving room for supports whose objective was to give the businesswoman a warm welcome back to the show that made her a household name in her season 3 debut.
“I had to circle right back to this post because i’m still in utter shock…our one and only SOUTHERN BELLE is backkk for more!!! let the games begin,” wrote one follower. Another fans excitedly chained in with, “Frick & Frack back on my screen?! Oh yes we won.”
Before being booted from the show at the conclusion of Season 9 in 2017, Parks and Porsha Williams were a fan-favorite duo known as Frick and Frack. However, she lost her spot on the cast when it was uncovered that the attorney was behind a defamatory rumor alleging that Kandi Burruss and her husband, Todd Tucker, planned to take a drunken Williams back to their alleged “sex dungeon.”
The lie shattered the remaining thread of friendship that the Xscape singer and Parks shared. Since her controversial departure, viewers have pleaded with creator Andy Cohen to extend an olive branch to Parks.
During a 2022 Q&A with his “Watch What Happens Live with Andy” audience he revealed that Parks was among the housewives he would be open to bringing back. “Love Phaedra,” he said, but did not comment on any plans to make the return a reality.
The Old Lady Gang restaurateur could care less about fans and their desires to see her hash out differences with her former friend.
“I don’t owe her s—t, and I would say that to anybody. Not a motherf—king thing. I don’t owe her s—t; she will never get s—t from me,” said Burruss during a 2023 episode of “Speak On It With Jay.”
She further stated, “You can’t defend yourselves against blatant liars, or people who are so spiteful that will make up anything to tear you down and then hide.”
They brought back Phaedra? Ibr, can’t move on from what she did to Kandi. #RHOA
— 💘 (@guineasfinest) July 29, 2024
The deterioration of the once-close bond the “No Scrubs” songwriter shared with Parks played out during seasons 8 and 9 of “RHOA” when the mortician was dealing with the fallout from her divorce from Apollo Nida. In February, after completing 14 seasons, Burruss announced her exit to pursue other endeavors.
Scores of social media users who have their reservations about the cast shakeup for the new season think that Burruss’ decision to take what could be a temporary break from the franchise created a pathway for Parks to make a comeback.
“The only reason she back on there is cuz Kandi gone show gon b in shambles nobody on there no more,” wrote one user. Another person said that show producers “might as well bring back Nene, Kenya, Kandi, Sheree, Cynthia, Kim, and Marlo if they want them ratings to go back up.”
Parks previously said she had no interest in reacquiring her peach, referring to the series as the Titanic as it struggled to be Bravo’s ratings juggernaut. Instead, she made appearances on “Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Dubai” as well as wrapped two seasons of guest spots on “Married to Medicine.”
Another major shakeup to the upcoming season has been the suspension of Kenya Moore. She and Parks have been nemeses since the model joined the reality show in 2012 during season 5.
Moore reportedly lost her peach after being disciplined for allegedly showcasing revenge porn photos of newcomer Brittany Eady during the filming of her hair salon opening. Moore has adamantly denied the claims as well as the rumors that she is no longer part of the housewives family.
As it stands, viewers will be tuning in to see Williams and Parks return, as well as Shamea Morton Mwangi, Drew Sidora, Eady, Kelli Ferrell, Angela Oakley, and friends of the show like former peach holder Cynthia Bailey.
