Credit: Shutterstock/Lev Radin
Kandi Burruss confirmed the Real Housewives of Atlanta cameras went back up after the news of Drew Sidora‘s divorce from husband Ralph Pittman Jr. while attending the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards 2023 on Thursday.
While the series’ 15th season previously wrapped, Kandi said that Drew’s drama, as well as something fans don’t yet know about, prompted Bravo to go back into production while also addressing Cynthia Bailey‘s return and the success of her latest spinoff, SWV & XSCAPE: The Queens of R&B.
“We wrapped, but then they had cameras up a little bit the other day when the other drama came along,” Kandi shared during a March 9 interview with Extra TV, signaling Ralph’s February 27 divorce filing.
“We had some other things that have happened also. It was some other things that you guys don’t know about that they wanted updates on, and plus, we still do some of our pickups that we have for interviews and stuff like that. So we’re wrapped, but they’re still catching everything,” she explained.
According to Kandi, she was surprised by Drew and Ralph’s split, which was followed by allegations of infidelity, because she and her own husband, Todd Tucker, had recently spent time with the couple on the set of their upcoming movie.
“It just was kinda like shocking,” she said.
“My husband and I just recently produced a movie. It’s not out yet, but Drew is starring in it, and so Ralph was coming to set every day, well, not every day, but checking on her,” Kandi revealed, noting that Drew and Ralph also visited her when she was starring in The Piano Lesson.
“And on top of that,” she added, “the Real Housewives, we did a photo shoot together, and so we did the shoot together, I’m seeing her today, and tomorrow, the announcement came out, and she did not say anything. So I was shocked. I was like, ‘Wait I just saw her yesterday, and she didn’t mention this.”
Despite the intense drama, her co-star is currently filming, and Kandi said RHOA season 15 will be a “great season”
“My boo Cynthia’s back … It’s a lot going on,” she teased. “The newbies on RHOA was coming for me … [the] first week!”
“It was a very stressful year for me just because I went straight from filming [SWV & XSCAPE: The Queens of R&B], which was crazy, into filming Housewives season 15 so it was like I didn’t get a break,” she continued. “I had a very stressful end to 2022, and I was like having to really go in on a lot of people.”
As for Kandi’s newest spinoff, SWV & XSCAPE: The Queens of R&B, which she admitted she was “rightfully” hesitant to film, Kandi said fans “are loving the show.”
“We have a lot of inner turmoil in the group, and people don’t see it. Well, they do because we was all in the blogs at the end of last year, but now you get a little bit more of the behind-the-scenes and understand why certain people feel the way I feel… It’s a lot,” she shared.
Also during the awards show, Kandi revealed what makes the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards so special.
“I think it’s important just simply because when you have so many beautiful, strong Black women that have accomplished so much, it’s inspiring. It doesn’t matter how much you’ve done. When you see other women doing their thing, you wanna connect with them in some way, collaborate,” Kandi said. “This room inspires a lot of things.”
The Real Housewives of Atlanta season 15 is expected to premiere on Bravo sometime later this year.