NeNe Leakes Is Leaving Real Housewives of Atlanta After 7 Seasons

UPDATE: Bravo is speaking out in regards to NeNe's departure. "We wish NeNe well after seven memorable seasons of The Real Housewives of Atlanta," the network said in an exclusive statement to E! News. "We will miss her bloop bloop's and her great one liners. We look forward to the eighth season of The Real Housewivs of Atlanta in the fall."
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NeNe Leakes is leaving all the drama of The Real Housewives of Atlanta behind.
The reality star's rep confirms to E! News that the original cast member is not coming back to the Bravo series next season.
"This is so hard for me to type! I cry as I do so! I am so Grateful for all the love and laughs!" Leakes wrote on Instagram. "Thank you so much to everyone that has watched and supported me over the years on this amazing platform! With lots of thoughts and prayer I've decided to step out on faith and not fear. #nomoRHOA4me."
Andy Cohen later tweeted, "We love @NeNeLeakes & she is always welcome back to the house she helped build! She's a Real Housewife forever!!"

Bravo

Leakes has had quite the tumultuous ride on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, but not all of it was negative. This past season, the reality star had to leave the reunion special early because she became emotional while reliving the famous group therapy session. When Dr. Jeff Gardere began to explain Leakes' past issues with abandonment, it became too much for her to handle.
"I don't have anything to say. I can't," she said while walking away in tears. "I can't talk about my mom."
Leakes was supported by her cast members Cynthia Bailey, Phaedra Parks and Porsha Williams, as she revealed that her mother had five children at a young age, and gave Leakes and her brother up to live with her aunt. Leakes revealed that she never knew why her mom chose her to leave.
"I just think maybe I have been misunderstood somewhere along the line," Leakes said. "I just think that sometimes people think that I haven't been through anything in my life and I don't talk about some of the things I've been through in my life. It's just really hard to talk about my mom. "

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The tearful reunion ended on a strong note, with Bailey calling NeNe a "survivor" and Moore sympathizing with her. "She tries to stay so strong, but even the strongest are the most vulnerable," Moore said.
"We share a sisterhood," Leakes said before the whole cast ended the reunion with a group hug. "We are on this journey together and it's great to know the people who you work with everyday can be there for you."
People was first to report the news.
(E! and Bravo are part of the NBCUniversal family.)
(Article originally published Monday June 29, 2015 at 5:15 p.m. PST)