Bravo is sticking with what works when it comes to The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
Amid speculation that the upcoming 14th season of the reality hit would feature a cast shakeup amid the seemingly endless feud between sister-in-laws Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga, outlet has learned that the network has made return offers to both women — as well as to the rest of their season 13 costars.
Verbal offers went out this week to Giudice, Gorga, Dolores Catania, Margaret Josephs, Jennifer Aydin, Rachel Fuda and Danielle Cabral. Jackie Goldschneider and Jennifer Fessler will once again be Friends of the franchise.
No contracts have arrived yet, but filming for season 14 is said to begin in August.
RHONJ is produced by Sirens Media. Andy Cohen, Jordana Hochman, Sarah Howell, Mioshi Hill, Lauren Volonakis, Maggie Langtry and Lisa Levey all serve as executive producers.
Season 13 of RHONJ proved to be big business for Bravo, with total viewership up 10 percent since season 12 and viewership in the key demo of adults 18–49 up 16 percent, according to Variety. That made it the most-viewed season overall since season 7 and the top-rated season in the demo since 2020.
Part 3 of the reunion, which aired on June 13, did gangbuster numbers, scoring a new record for the network with 3 million total viewers and 1.5 million viewers in the key demo of adults 18-49. It's the most-watched episode of RHONJ since 2016 and the top episode in the demo since 2020.
Much of the drama in season 13 hinged on the ongoing tensions between Teresa, 51 — who shares daughters Gia Giudice, 22, Gabriella Giudice, 19, Milania Giudice, 17, and Audriana Giudice, 13 with ex Joe Giudice, 51 — and the Gorgas, including Melissa's husband (and Teresa's brother) Joe Gorga.
Years of misunderstandings plus business dealings between Teresa's then-fiancée Luis “Louie” Ruelas, 48, and Joe Gorga, 43, had put a strain in their relationship, but things only got worse throughout the season when attempts were made to repair it. The season ended with Joe and Melissa, 44, deciding not to attend Teresa's wedding after it was revealed Teresa and Louie had met with Joe behind Melissa's back to tell Teresa's brother about cheating rumors they'd heard involving Melissa (Melissa has vehemently denied the "baseless" allegations).
For that point on, lines were drawn between Teresa and Melissa. The two traded insults on social media and on their respective podcasts. They were even split into separate panels on BravoCon back in October to mitigate the noise.
Things didn't get better by the reunion. Taped in April, the three-parter included plenty of name-calling. And though Melissa and Joe both offered hope they could build a relationship again in the future, Teresa made it clear she never planning on seeing them anymore.
That left even Cohen, 55, wondering how Teresa and Melissa might be able to co-exist on the show — an issue he discussed in interviews in May while promoting his new Daddy Diaries memoir. But despite reports that the show went on "pause" so casting changes could be made, Cohen said the break was natural.
“It's not really on pause. That was a little blown up. We always take a break between seasons, and then suddenly it made it look like we were in the middle of production and we shut the cameras down. All it is is , we're just taking a second between seasons,” he said on The Elvis Duran Show last month. "And when you see part 3 of the reunion, you'll say, 'Oh I understand why they're taking a second.' That was a bloodbath, let's take a minute and let everyone catch their breath before we send cameras in. And that's me saying something; typically you would send cameras in the next day, but it was too hot. Too hot to handle!"
The Real Housewives of New Jersey can be streamed in full on Peacock.
