12 'Real Housewives' Divorces That Shocked Fans
‘From ‘I Do’ To ‘I’m Done’ — The 12 Messiest ‘Real Housewives’ Divorces That Shook Bravo
The Bravo Real Housewives franchise has never been short on drama, from explosive reunions to jaw-dropping scandals, but some of the most talked-about moments have come when love unraveled in front of the cameras. Over the years, fans have watched reality TV stars go from happily married to filing for divorce, often with messy legal battles and public fallout following close behind.
With The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 16 star Brit Eady becoming one of the most recent cast members to announce a split, we’re looking back at some of the most shocking, explosive, and conversation-shaking divorces across the franchise that lit up both television screens and the internet.
1. Brit Eady and Michael Cunningham
On Jan. 7, The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Brit Eady officially followed through on her previously announced plans to divorce husband Michael Cunningham, filing paperwork in a Georgia court.
“At the end of the day, I still love Mike, and I hope that what we are going through can still allow us to be friends,” Eady told Daily Mail on Wednesday.
Eady, who joined RHOA in Season 16, had been married to Cunningham for five years before listing their separation date as Dec. 1. In legal documents obtained by TMZ, the 37-year-old stated there was no hope of reconciliation and requested that the court deny Cunningham alimony or spousal support.
According to court records, the couple’s only shared property is their home in Fulton County, Georgia. Eady claimed they agreed to sell the house and split the proceeds. She also requested that each party retain the vehicles they individually acquired during the marriage, essentially stating that they should each keep their own cars.
Brit asked for the case to be sealed due to their public profiles as reality TV figures. The former couple married in 2020 and do not share children, eliminating the need for child support discussions. Notably, Brit skipped the Season 16 reunion following her single-season appearance.
Brit announced the divorce on Dec. 31, 2025, telling fans in a since-deleted Instagram post, according to PEOPLE, “I’m posting this on the last day of 365 to remove this facade of faking like this marriage is going to work.”
The former reality TV star and insurance expert continued, “Everybody can’t come into the next chapter. I’m done hurting, and I want to be happy in my next chapter. Cheers to 2026 of putting my happiness first. (And for the record, as much as I can’t stand him, we are not going to create a false narrative that I’m walking away because of any fake made-up rumors).”
In her carousel, the Bravo alum included a longer statement, in which she revealed that “disrespect” is what “triggers” her “toxicity. Eady told fans that she was “learning not to let people pull her “out of character.”
She added, “I can be chill, fun, easy to get along with …I can vibe with anybody. But the second I feel disrespected, everything in me shifts. My peace goes out the window, my patience disappears, and that soft version of me turns sharp real quick. I’m self-aware enough to know I’m a good woman. I’m kind, I’m genuine, I’m understanding, and I always try to lead with love. But that’s exactly why disrespect hits so deep … because I know how much grace l give before I ever lose it. When I snap, it’s never random; it’s a reaction. What you put in is what you get out of me.”
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2. Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker
Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker shocked fans when news of their divorce broke in November 2025. Burruss filed for divorce from Tucker on Nov. 21, 2025, after more than 10 years of marriage. At the top of the new year, the Broadway star revealed that while she hopes to remain “friends” with her soon-to-be ex-husband, navigating divorce hasn’t been simple.
During a Jan. 5 Amazon Live Q&A, the former Real Housewives of Atlanta star, who filed for divorce in November 2025, addressed whether she believed they could stay close after the split.
“Yes, I think after divorce I think anybody should be able to. Hopefully. Don’t get me started lying,” she joked while answering a fan who asked if she would be friends with the producer after the process is finalized.
She also acknowledged the emotional challenges that come with ending a long-term marriage.
“I hope we get to be friends, like that would be my goal. But I think when you’re going through the divorce, people get on your nerves and you really start looking at em’ differently,” she explained. “So, that’s why I’m like hoping we can make it through unscathed.”
Todd Tucker also shared an update on Instagram amid the divorce. On Jan. 2, he posted photos from a New Year’s Eve celebration at an indoor waterpark featuring Burruss and their children, Ace and Blaze. The post included family photos and videos, including Blaze walking across a tall bridge during a rope course.
“Happy New Year!” Tucker wrote. “Here’s my first SCHEME of 2026! Create and enjoy moments [with] family. The Tuckers.”
While the exact reason for the split remains unclear, a source previously told People, “Kandi and Todd had been having marriage troubles for a while now. Kandi was not happy because she found out that Todd had been talking to other women behind her back. She had no idea.”
Burruss later admitted on an Amazon Live session on Nov. 24 that the separation “had been brewing for a while,” calling the period a “pretty crazy time.”
“I’m going to be very honest with you. I am up and down,” she shared during the live stream. “Obviously, going through a divorce is definitely not the easiest thing,” she continued. “Sometimes you’re cool … then sometimes you have your moments of sadness.”
She also addressed how difficult it has been to experience such a personal transition publicly.
“In real life, in my everyday life, I really don’t like those moments to be shared with the world. But I’m sharing with my Amazon family today — I am up and down.”
She added, “All the times you’ve been seeing me online [all smiles] means nothing. I’ve been going through it. I’ve been going through it. Life has been life-ing me.”
Reflecting on public speculation, Burruss admitted, “I’m all over the place,” before concluding, “Sometimes things just don’t work out. It just is what it is.”
3. Porsha Williams and Simon Guobadia
Porsha Williams filed for divorce from Simon Guobadia in 2024 after just over a year of marriage. While rumors swirled online about Guobadia’s citizenship being a factor in the split, a source told PEOPLE the divorce was “unrelated.”
In March 2025, Williams finally revealed what ended the marriage while speaking to Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live.
“It was the betrayal of what I thought we had, yeah,” she explained. “I really thought we were the best communicators with each other, and, unfortunately, I didn’t realize that he had love-bombed me and was taking it back. So, our relationship had kind of swapped over. And I just realized I needed more, and I think women should be able to stand up and say, ‘I need more. More truth, more this, more that, and a whole lot of other things.'”
In June 2025, a judge ruled in Williams’ favor to enforce their prenup, requiring Guobadia to pay substantial financial obligations, including $40,000 in monthly alimony for over a year, legal fees, and housing expenses. Guobadia contested the ruling, claiming Williams violated the prenup by returning to RHOA.
4. Kelli Ferrell and Mark Chuvalo Ferrell
Kelli Ferrell’s divorce from Mark Chuvalo Ferrell in 2022 quickly escalated into one of the franchise’s most contentious legal battles.
“I feel good,” Kelli told The Daily Dish 2025, reflecting on life after her divorce. Kelli said she was navigating co-parenting with her ex-husband, with whom she shares three children. “Even though it’s official, it feels like things don’t end. You have to still co-parent with someone that you’re trying to heal from.” She added, “I’m trying to figure it all out, single mom life is definitely not for the weak,” she continued. “I’m handling it with as much grace as I can. I am so grateful for my daughters.”
Mark later announced plans to sue Bravo and the Rockdale County Clerk of Court, claiming judicial misconduct in their divorce. During a news press conference in September 2025, Mark claimed the divorce proceedings in 2022 were riddled with judicial misconduct and abuse of power. He alleged that despite having documentation proving his co-ownership of their business, Nana’s Chicken-N-Waffles, the court accepted Kelli’s claim of sole ownership, stripping him of his rights to the business and ultimately “stealing” it from him. He claimed that crucial evidence, such as signed agreements, tax filings, and business records, was ignored.
“For three years, I watched my name dragged through the mud, my business stolen, my home taken, my children withheld, and my dignity attacked,” Mark told reporters.
During their tumultuous divorce, Kelli alleged that Mark stole nearly $500,000 from Nana’s Chicken-N-Waffles and had neglected to pay child support. She also said he threatened her life in court—claims she made public during Season 16 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. However, Mark firmly denied those allegations.
“Let me be clear, I never stole money from my business. The funds were from loans and grants that had both been signed to expand Nana’s. When I saw reckless personal spending, I safeguarded the funds as recommendation of our then business partner,” he explained.
5. Pastor Jamal Bryant and Gizelle Bryant
After divorcing in 2009, Pastor Jamal Bryant and Gizelle Bryant attempted reconciliation a decade later, only to split again in 2021 during the pandemic.
According to Bossip, the split followed a dramatic moment at the Real Housewives of Potomac Season 5 reunion, when former cast member Monique Samuels brought out a binder and accused Gizelle Bryant and Jamal Bryant of faking their relationship. Samuels alleged that she possessed text messages from Jamal’s real girlfriend — a fellow pastor — who reportedly sent her messages and photos of the man of God in her bed. She also read aloud texts in which the pastor allegedly downplayed Jamal’s relationship with Gizelle.
But Gizelle told a different story after the divorce was finalized. The housewife claimed the pandemic drew her and the pastor apart.
“Listen, we were a victim of the pandemic,” she revealed to E! News in 2021. “I don’t think any long-distance relationship can really withstand not seeing each other. But is he still in my life? Is he still one of my best friends? Absolutely.”
Jamal later reflected on his infidelity and the consequences during a candid 2025 interview with Kandi Burruss. When asked about fathering a child with one of his parishioners while still married to Gizelle, the pastor admitted that he was disappointed in his actions and that he wasn’t always the best husband during their marriage.
“Narcissism is a fancy word for selfish…I wasn’t thinking on how will this affect my daughter? How would this affect my marriage? How does it affect my ministry? It was just, ‘What will this do for me?’”
The fallout nearly ended his career — and deeply impacted his mental health — proving that some Bravo divorces leave scars far beyond the cameras.
6. Eva Marcille and Michael Sterling
Fans were shocked when the Real Housewives of Atlanta alum Eva Marcille filed for divorce from attorney Michael Sterling in March 2023 after four years of marriage, saying the relationship was “irretrievably broken” with no prospects for reconciliation. She cited her children’s well-being as her priority amid the split.
Eva and Michael tied the knot in October 2018 and share two sons; Michael also adopted Eva’s daughter Marley in 2019. Their divorce was finalized in August 2023. Interestingly, the pair have since reconnected publicly in 2025, sparking reconciliation talk, though neither has officially confirmed remarriage.
In September 2025, Marcille gushed about being back together with her partner during an interview with Entertainment Tonight.
“Life’s a journey like the show, right? It’s a journey. My intention when marrying him was to be with him forever, and as we go through the ups and downs of life, no matter what it looks like, he is my forever. He is and always will be my forever and only,” she said.
Not all love stories end tragically.
7. Drew Sidora and Ralph Pittman
After nearly nine years of marriage, RHOA’s Drew Sidora and Ralph Pittman announced their divorce in early 2023. Pittman filed his petition on March 1, 2023, and Sidora filed her own just minutes earlier. Their split stemmed from deep marital conflict, with Sidora alleging in court that Pittman was a “serial cheater and adulterer” and had subjected her to mental and financial abuse — including an allegation that he was “physically aggressive” at one point, according to court docs obtained by PEOPLE.
While both initially hoped to co-parent responsibly, disputes over sealing records and property have made the divorce highly contentious and ongoing on-screen.
On an April 20, 2025, episode of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, the reality star was filmed preparing for a court appearance for her ongoing divorce. The actress and singer said she wanted to keep the divorce sealed to protect their children from the drama that had unfolded from the process.
“The longer this divorce process prolongs itself, it makes things more contentious between Ralph and I,” she said. “There’s always opportunity for us to mediate, but I feel like Ralph definitely wants to fight. I’m just hoping in this court date we can make some movement.” She added, “There’s definitely more evidence against Ralph than against me,” noting how she was “more fearful” about what their kids would read about their father.
8. Cynthia Bailey, Peter Thomas & Mike Hill
Cynthia Bailey’s romantic life played out across multiple RHOA seasons, first with entrepreneur Peter Thomas. Cynthia married restaurateur Peter Thomas in 2010, a highlight of RHOA’s Season 3, but they announced their separation in 2016. Their divorce was finalized in March 2017 after years of ups and downs.
Bailey later married sports journalist Mike Hill in October 2020 during RHOA’s Season 13. After two years, Cynthia filed for divorce in October 2022 and finalized it by year’s end. They described their split as amicable but acknowledged the challenges of blending their lives while handling public scrutiny.
9. Kenya Moore and Marc Daly
Kenya Moore married Marc Daly in June 2017, and the couple welcomed their daughter, Brooklyn Doris, in November 2018. They separated in September 2019, and Kenya filed for divorce the following year. The divorce was finalized in June 2024. Moore has said she’s “excited for the next chapter” of her life and remains hopeful about future love.
10. Phaedra Parks and Apollo Nida
Phaedra Parks and Apollo Nida’s relationship was famously tumultuous on RHOA. The couple married in 2009 and had two sons before legal issues upended their marriage. Nida pled guilty in 2014 to bank, mail, and wire fraud, landing an eight-year sentence. Parks filed for divorce in October 2015, citing irreparable issues, though it wasn’t finalized until July 2017, PEOPLE noted.
Their story became one of the franchise’s most dramatic, blending legal trouble with emotional strain.
11. NeNe Leakes and Gregg Leakes
NeNe and Gregg Leakes’ relationship had multiple chapters. First, they were married in 1997, then divorced in 2011 after 14 years, partly due to growing pains. During a 2018 episode of TV One’s Uncensored series, NeNe went into detail about why she parted ways with Gregg, according to USA Today.
“I have been with Gregg since 1996, so it’s been about 20 years or so,” she explained. “Gregg and I went through a bumpy road, I would say, for about two years. I was very young when I started dating Gregg, and he had been married before. I had never been married before, and he had children from his previous marriage, and I had one child. So we got engaged really quick, like, six months in, and we were married, like, a year later.”
At the time, she explained that she filed for divorce due to mistreatment by the businessman.
“I think a lot of people were surprised when I filed for divorce,” NeNe continued. “I filed for divorce because I always felt like you have to teach people how to treat you, and I felt like at that time that Gregg wasn’t treating me the way I felt I should be treated. It was me teaching Gregg a lesson, and I think he got it.”
NeNe and Gregg eventually reconciled and remarried in June 2013 in a Bravo-featured ceremony. Sadly, Gregg later battled cancer and passed away in September 2021, ending their journey together.
12. Stacey Rusch and Thiemo Rusch
In October 2025, TMZ confirmed that Real Housewives of Potomac star Stacey Rusch and her ex-husband, Thiemo Rusch, were officially divorced, despite ongoing speculation that the split was fabricated.
Court documents revealed that their marriage legally ended in 2024, with a final decree entered on Dec. 16. Thiemo filed for divorce earlier that month, citing separation since August 2023 and stating there was “no hope or possibility of reconciliation.”
However, viewers later learned that Stacey and Thiemo rekindled their romance during a family Christmas trip to Mexico, the same trip where she discovered the divorce had been finalized. Castmates Ashley Darby and Gizelle Bryant publicly questioned the legitimacy of Stacey’s divorce, with Gizelle even alleging the documents were fabricated. But Rusch set the record straight, telling the girls she was on the road to reconciliation with Thiemo.
“We are divorced, and we are getting back together,” she said, putting the rumors to rest once and for all.
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The post ‘From ‘I Do’ To ‘I’m Done’ — The 12 Messiest ‘Real Housewives’ Divorces That Shook Bravo appeared first on MadameNoire.
‘From ‘I Do’ To ‘I’m Done’ — The 12 Messiest ‘Real Housewives’ Divorces That Shook Bravo was originally published on madamenoire.com