Kandi Burruss Reveals Why She Left 'RHOA' After 14 Seasons
The reason is part professional and part personal.
Kandi Burruss initially broke the news of her departure from The Real Housewives of Atlanta while on the red carpet for the 2024 Grammy Awards. With the show on a filming hiatus as production figures out the casting overhaul, Burruss said she was tired of the waiting game and realized she could maximize her business opportunities without the hectic filming schedule.
"I'm not really keeping up right now," she told Variety of her exit, as reported by The Neighborhood Talk on Instagram. "I'm not keeping up. I already said it, so I'll tell you. I decided I'm not coming back this year. It's been 14 seasons, and they allowed us to sit around for a little too long, but during that time I had started working on a lot of other things, and I got some nice big projects coming soon, so I'm super excited about those things."
She continued: "It's just like, you know, after you really have time to think, and a friend of mine was like, 'Why do you keep doing it?' And I was like, 'Well I think because I've just been doing it so long, feels weird to think not to do it?' So I was just like, You know what? I'm going to take a break, I'm going to take a moment… I'm not coming back this year.'"
Now, she's expanding on her decision in her recent episode of YouTube's Speak On It. Fans have watched Burruss struggle to maintain the balance of a mogul and motherhood/wife duties. Her children have complained about craving more of her attention. And while on hiatus, she told fans that she was able to get more much-needed family time.
"My mom had to get cataract surgery; I was able to take her and get her eyes fixed and be there for [her] when she came out of there," she said, noting her daughter was also having eye problems. "Riley had her eyes corrected because, child, we can't see honey. So I was able to take her. I was able to take Ace and Blaze to their annual appointments,"
Burruss and her husband, Todd Tucker, have two minor children. They also have adult daughters from previous relationships. Even Tucker has complained that Burruss needs more time with her family.
"Like I was doing real mommy duties, and I was loving it," Burruss added in the video. "I was like, now, I know this ain't got nothing to do with making money, but I probably wouldn't have been able to be there for every one of those things had I not had the little extra time on my hands."