Teresa Giudice is desperately trying to keep her spot on The Real Housewives of New Jersey according to a new report.
Teresa has been a huge part of the show since its inception, but a new report is now claiming she’s terrified that she’ll soon be on the chopping block. A source alleges the OG completely fabricated the rumor about her co-star Jackie Goldschneider‘s husband cheating because she was desperate for a storyline.
“She’s being watched by the network and needed a story to stir the pot. She had zero proof [that he cheated] and made up the story because Bravo has been getting rid of original ‘Housewives,’” a source told Page Six, adding that Teresa is convinced that her job is in jeopardy. “[She’s] too expensive and they can filter through different women. She’s desperately trying to stay relevant.”
On the season 11 premiere, the mother-of-four bopped around Evan Goldschneider‘s birthday party spreading a salacious rumor about Evan “screwing around” on Jackie when he goes to the gym. However, she was unable to provide any receipts and simply claimed she had “heard” he was cheating, but the source says she didn’t hear the rumor at all.
Nevertheless, Teresa is denying the allegations, simply stating “Not true,” after a fan account posted the report on Instagram.
When confronted with the source’s allegation, Teresa’s attorney, James J Leonard Jr., provided a statement claiming that the Paterson, New Jersey, native is the most authentic housewife of any franchise.
“The core principle of reality television is authenticity, and I don’t believe there has ever been a more authentic Housewife than Teresa Giudice, and there never will be,” the star’s lawyer claimed. “She is without peer in what she and her family have shared with the cameras over the years. When you are as real and authentic as Teresa has been, you don’t need to pull stunts or manufacture [a] story to be relevant and that is ridiculous for anyone to suggest otherwise.”
As for Jackie, she says she didn’t believe the rumor from the start and her co-star’s behavior was the only thing she had to be angry about.
“There wasn’t even a question about whether he cheated on me,” Jackie revealed. “The only reason I was upset was because of her trying to spread a rumor — not because I ever questioned my husband.”
Although Teresa is the only original cast member on the show, the source says she will eventually lose her spot — like OGs Vicki Gunvalson and Nene Leakes — because it’s impossible for the star to maintain a storyline worth the amount she’s currently being paid.
“Teresa is the highest paid ‘Housewife.’ If they get rid of her, it’s because they pay her too much and her act is no longer worth it, but she’s been a franchise favorite forever.”
Of course, Teresa is the highest-paid RHONJ cast member and reportedly received a raise ahead of season 10. In 2019 she was allegedly pulling in around $62,000 per episode, which comes out to about $1,116,000 per season, and it’s unclear if she received yet another raise for her work on the current season.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey airs Wednesday nights on Bravo at 9/8c.