Cynthia Bailey Clears The Air On Rumors She's Joining RHOBH

Cynthia Bailey has been a fixture on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" since Season 3, so fans were shocked when she made the announcement that she would be leaving the show after Season 13. "After much thought and consideration, I have made the very difficult decision not to return for the next season of Real Housewives of Atlanta," she wrote on Instagram. When asked what prompted her to leave, Bailey told ET, "Honestly, I have had a good run. It has been 11 years, and it was just time, and I think not only was it time, it was the right time."

Since her departure from "RHOA," Bailey made the move to Los Angeles to live there full-time with her husband Mike Hill, whom she has now separated from. Fans speculated that Bailey may be asked to join "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," as she already has connections to some of the cast members, such as Garcelle Beauvais and Sheree Zampino, per Page Six. Bailey said that joining the cast can "make sense" and fans were excited about a possible crossover. However, it may be a while until we see Bailey as a housewife again.

On October 31, Cynthia Bailey sat down with West Coast "Real Housewives" cast members Teddi Mellencamp and Tamra Judge for their podcast, "Two Ts In A Pod." Mellencamp brought up a rumor that Bailey would be joining Season 13 of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" as a "friend of," while the former "RHOBH" star herself would be back as a full-time cast member. Bailey laughed off the rumor and agreed that Mellencamp should be back as a housewife. However, she stated, "I don't know where this information came from but it's not true and if it was true, I would hope that I would get to come back as a housewife along with you, Teddi, and not a friend." Mellencamp agreed that no one wants to be cast as a "friend," a lesser role than an official full-time housewife. "If it's gonna be a lie, can it be a good lie?" Bailey exclaimed.

Following news of her departure, Bailey revealed that Bravo offered her the "friend" role for "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" Season 14, per E! News. Bailey was enticed by the idea of not having to commit to being a full housewife, but she decided to "cut the cord." The "Celebrity Big Brother" star also stated that she was tired of the drama and needed a break. However, she did state, "I'm not saying never ever ever," so fans may see the reality star on the screen again in the near future.