Credit: Charles Sykes/Bravo
Caroline Manzo isn’t ruling out the possibility of returning to Bravo for a future season of The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
Although Caroline, who left the show in 2013 after season five, recently turned down an offer to reprise her full-time role, she admitted during a recent interview that she isn’t opposed to the idea before sharing her thoughts on Dolores Catania‘s ongoing role on the series and gushing over grandmother life.
“It would have to be the right scenario,” Caroline explained to OK! Magazine while attending BravoCon last month. “I did get asked back this past season, but I declined. I’m at a point in my life where I do things that make me happy. If I’m not happy, I’m not gonna do it. I’m not going to put myself in that position.”
“Never say never —but it’s not on my radar,” she added.
While Caroline isn’t eyeing a return at this point in time, she loves that Dolores has continued to appear on the show since season seven.
“I wanted Dolores from [season one],” Caroline revealed. “She was offered [season one], but she turned it down. I was a big soldier for her to try and get on [the show].”
“[And] when she got back on, she knew exactly what the equation was,” she continued. “She was in a couple of episodes in the past. She understood the job, and she understood the journey.”
As RHONJ fans have likely seen, a number of cast members from the show have spoken out about Caroline’s potential return to the show, with Teresa Giudice telling Carlos King last month that she’d love to have the original ladies return.
“I would love the first, the way we started, season one and season two,” she shared.
And while talking to Page Six in September, Dolores said she “would love to do [RHONJ] with Caroline because fans love sincere, organic relationships — which is something that we have.” said the star.
In the meantime, Caroline is focused on her role as grandma to daughter Lauren Manzo‘s 5-year-old daughter, Marchesa Anna Scalia.
“She’s the love of my life!” Caroline told OK!. “I would jump in front of a train for that child. She is the brightest light in our world and just so special in so many ways. We really hit the jackpot.”
The Real Housewives of New Jersey season 13 is expected to begin airing on Bravo in early 2023.