‘The Real Housewives of New Jersey’ Cast Member Quits the Show

Ahead of casting being confirmed for Season 15 of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, one of the show’s staples took to Instagram to reveal she would not be returning. Margaret Josephs, who first joined the show in Season 8, detailed her decision.

“I have to tell you something that may come as a little surprise to you, but not for me,” Josephs said in her video post. “I’ve been thinking about a lot of different things, and I am moving on from the [Real] Housewives of New Jersey…. I’ve been in the talks with the network and Andy (Cohen) since December, we’ve discussed it, and I think the timing is right.”

The news comes as Bravo confirmed that sisters-in-law Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga, as well as Dolores Catania, would be returning for the forthcoming season as production begins in the Garden State. Rumors have been swirling about who else will be cast, including radio personality DJ Envy’s wife Gia Casey, who was previously slated to join the cast in 2011.

Once a close friend to Giudice, Josephs’ relationship with the cookbook author fell apart over several seasons but the final nail in the coffin was due to Josephs’ concerns with Giudice’s new husband, Luis Ruelas. Season 14 chronicled a divided cast.

RHONJ has been on hiatus since 2024 amid the ongoing rift between the Giudice and Gorga clan. Ahead of the 2025 holiday season, the family reconciled, paving the way for the show to move forward, though they promise they didn’t make amends because of the show.

“A lot of things have changed in my life,” Josephs said. “I’ve been blessed to work on a different project, I’m on the set right now, and I realized I have to spend more time with my family, work on my designing and just take a break and move on,” Josephs continued. She is the owner of fashion brand The Macbeth Collection.

Josephs says fans will see more of her in the future. “This will not be the last you guys see of me on television,” Josephs continued in her post. “That’s not a threat, it’s a promise … you will see me very, very soon back on your TV screens.”