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Jackie Goldschneider is opening up more about her eating disorder and demotion to a “friend of” role ahead of season 13 of The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
Jackie, who previously starred as a full-time housewife since season nine, shocked fans after news of her reduced role hit the press, especially after a revealing and vulnerable season 12 of the show in which she candidly spoke of her battle with anorexia. As it turns out, contrary to previous reports, it was a mutual decision between Jackie and Bravo as she expressed her health concerns to the network ahead of filming season 13.
“When Bravo approached me about casting for season 13, I obviously was very excited to be a part of the show again because I love the show,” Jackie recalled to PEOPLE. “But my recovery was not in the place that I expected it to be. It was moving very slowly. I was still being triggered by stress and I still needed a lot of intense therapy.”
Jackie stated to Bravo that “recovery [is her] priority,” and she was concerned about balancing her “commitment” to RHONJ and continuing her health journey.
In response to her concerns, Jackie revealed that Bravo responded by offering the “friend of” position, and much to Jackie’s surprise, it was the best possible scenario.
“They were so supportive,” the RHONJ star continued. “And even though that was a really tough pill to swallow, and it was hard for me to step back a little bit after having been such a big part of the show for so many years, I really knew that that was probably the best solution.”
Despite her reduced role, Jackie says it was the “best decision” she could have made, and she says that season 13 is probably her best season yet.
“It was really tough to do, but I’m really proud of myself for prioritizing myself. I’m so incredibly healthy now and I don’t know that wouldn’t been the case if I didn’t do this. So, I have no regrets,” she confessed.
Jackie described her experience as a “friend” as a “sweet spot.” She still regularly filmed with the cast, but there was less pressure.
“I had a killer season and, aside from seeing the poster without my face on it — which is a little bit of an ego punch — other than that, I really don’t feel like there was that big of a difference between this season or any other season for me as far as being in the mix. It was just much less stress.”
Not having Bravo cameras around all the time helped Jackie to work through her eating issues much more efficiently. She described her recovery as more “private” now, and though she “loves sharing” her recovery with viewers, she was able to “get a lot more done” by cutting back her filming time.
Jackie says she’s doing much better now in her journey to recovery, and she revealed she “turned a corner” in the summer and now she’s “really, really healthy.”
The freelance writer also expressed her gratitude to Bravo for working with her through this stressful time in her life.
“I’m really so appreciative of them,” Jackie concluded. “The fact that they understood where I was coming from and were willing to work with me on this so that I could remain a part of the show and still prioritize my health was such a gift.”
The Real Housewives of New Jersey season 13 is expected to air sometime in early 2023 on Bravo.