In a recent update, a close source to the reality star shared that Monique Samuels, who left the show in 2020 following a physical altercation with Candiace Dillard Bassett, is set to reveal a new aspect of herself when the show makes a comeback in late 2025.
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Monique Samuels Is Returning To Bravo For Season 10 Of ‘RHOP’
Reports from PEOPLE indicate that Samuels, aged 41, has formally agreed to make appearances as a “friend of the show” in the enduring reality series, which commenced filming its tenth season in the summer of 2025.
Samuels’ comeback has taken many Bravo fans by surprise, especially since her last appearance on the show was marked by the aftermath of a confrontational incident with Bassett in season 5.
“Monique’s in a totally different place now, and fans will see that,” a source told the publication about Samuels’ return. “She’s excited to show who she is now — not as a wife, not as just a mom, but as a woman starting over and taking on life on her own terms.”
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Monique Samuels Quit The Show After Season 5 In 2020
Samuels sparked widespread chaos in the Bravosphere in 2020, among viewers and her castmates, after physically assaulting Bassett amid an explosive conversation about their relationship.
The subsequent reunion was equally contentious, with host Andy Cohen criticizing Samuels for her behavior and what was perceived as a lack of remorse. Her reunion performance led many to believe the network would have fired her; however, she confirmed after the gathering finished airing that she had “received an offer,” but decided not to return.
“… when I saw episode three of the reunion, I said, ‘You know what? I can’t do this anymore,’” she recalled.
Samuels also opened up about how challenging filming a reality show like “The Real Housewives of Potomac” can actually be.
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“It’s not easy doing reality TV, and to be quite honest, I’m over it,” she told fans, according to a previous report. “I appreciate everything that people have done for me, everybody that’s been Team Monique — I love y’all, I thank y’all — but when you cross certain lines, there’s no going back.”
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Monique Samuels Has More To Show When She Returns To Bravo For Potomac’s 10th Season
During her initial run on the Bravo show, Samuels showcased her lavish lifestyle behind the gates in Potomac, Maryland, alongside her then-husband, former NFL player Chris Samuels, and their three children. This time around, however, the reality star is returning to the Potomac social circle as a single mother following her divorce from the ex-football player in 2023.
The Samuels spoke briefly about their marital woes during a season of the OWN reality show “Love & Marriage: DC,” and in a 2022 YouTube video, they stated that they were “struggling in some areas.”
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“It was a lot of confusion, it was crazy building up to that 10-year marker of our marriage and when you’ve been married that long and when you have things that you’re like, ‘Listen, this is being unmet or I’ve been unheard’ you start to get frustrated and it’s like, ‘Oh, my God, is this what life is going to be? I can’t take it anymore,'” the Bravo alum added. “So what y’all saw on ‘Love & Marriage: DC’ last season, it was my cry for help.”
What Else Can Fans Expect During The New Season Of ‘RHOP’?
Besides the return of a Bravo fan-favorite, “Potomac” fans can expect to see additional cast changes, considering Mia Thornton announced her departure from the series in April 2025 after relocating to Atlanta, Georgia.
“With every new season comes a new beginning and I have some news to share. My family and I have made the decision to relocate to Atlanta, and with that, I will not be returning to The Real Housewives of Potomac next season,” she posted online.
However, that isn’t the only major change. One of the series’ OG cast members, Karen Huger, will also sit a season out while she finishes her year-long prison sentence in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility for driving under the influence.
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The ‘RHOP’ Cast Feels Confident In Their Ability To Create Entertaining TV Without Huger
During an earlier interview, fellow “RHOP” cast member Dr. Wendy Osefo shared her thoughts about filming the show without Huger.
“With this group, we have found a way to navigate with her presence and without her presence,” Osefo said. “Looking at the reunion, I think that we maneuvered in a positive way as a collective, as a unit. I wish her the best, but I think that the Potomac brand still is strong.”
