Andy Cohen Says Amazing Things About Kandi Burruss in Wake of Stunning Real Housewives of … on February 6, 2024 at 4:04 pm The Hollywood Gossip

Andy Cohen is as stunned and as saddened by the news as everyone else.

On Sunday night, on the red carpet ahead of the Grammy Awards, Kandi Burruss told Variety that she was leaving The Real Housewives of Atlanta — after 14 incredible seasons!

Burruss had been a key and steady cast member on this Bravo hit since 2009.

Wow, huh?

Kandi Burruss attends the 76th Annual Tony Awards Meet The Nominees Press Event At Sofitel New York at Sofitel New York on May 4, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)

One day after the veteran reality star confirmed this decision, the show’s executive producer broke his silence on her stunning departure.

“Kandi announced last night on the Grammy red carpet that she’s not gonna be returning to The Real Housewives of Atlanta after an unbelievable run,” Any Cohen said on the February 5 episode of his SiriusXM Andy Cohen Live radio show.

“Incredible run.

“And you think about how much she not only went through on the show, but brought to the show.”

Andy Cohen takes part in SiriusXM’s Radio Andy Annual Holiday Hangout at SiriusXM Studios on December 14, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)

Throughout her run as a Real Housewife, Burruss introduced viewers to her scene-stealing mother Mama Joyce.

She also wrote former costar Kim Zolciak’s hit song “Tardy for the Party.”

Heck, she even met husband Todd Tucker during the cast’s season four trip to South Africa and also created her own Bravo spinoff Kandi & The Gang.

Cohen only had positive things to say about Kandi, both in terms of her work in front of the camera and behind the scenes.

Kandi Burruss attends the 66th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 4, 2024. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

“She wanted to be the best,” he told listeners.

“She has been one of my favorite people to work with in my whole time. First, as an exec at Bravo, and then as an E.P. of The Housewives and hosting Watch What Happens Live. I love how competitive she is. I love how thoughtful and smart she is.

“She is so strategic.”

Meaning what, exactly?

Kandi Burruss arrives for Prime Video’s premiere of “The Underdoggs” at the Culver Theatre in Culver City, California, January 23, 2024. (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

Cohen elaborated as follows:

“She would call me anytime she had a thought about either the way the show was being marketed or not marketed or about the way that it was being scheduled, or she had a lot of really smart opinions and thoughts and she always wanted to know more.

“‘What’s your strategy here? What are you thinking?’ It was always a great dialogue, and then, sometimes at the end of the conversation, she would say, ‘You know what? I’m glad I called. I totally get it now.’

“Sometimes she would say, ‘Y’all are wrong,’ and you know, and a lot of times she was right.”

Kandi Burruss attends 2023 Variety’s Women Of Reality TV at Spago on November 29, 2023 in Beverly Hills. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)

Explained Burruss ahead of the aforementioned Grammys:

“It’s been 14 seasons, and they allowed us to sit around for a little too long, but during that time I had started working on a lot of other things, and I got some nice big projects coming soon, so I’m super excited about those things.”

It’s unclear what sort of projects Kandi has been working on — but she’s a very successful musician and songwriter.

The reality star even won a best R&B song Grammy in 2000 for penning TLC’s smash track “No Scrubs.”

Burruss emphasized on Sunday that she needs a “break,” not fully closing the door on an eventual return.

(Getty)

Cohen, on his radio show, went on share details of the moment Burruss told him she was leaving the program.

“We had a long talk the other day, she and I and Todd on the phone,” the 55-year-old said.

“I appreciate her saying, ‘You know what? I think this is just time.’ She knows the show is at a crossroads right now and I don’t even want to talk about where we’re going with it.”

Indeed, Cohen had previously said there will be significant cast changes ahead of the next Real Housewives of Atlanta season.

Concluded Cohen, after acknowledging that both sides ended up “crying” on their call:

“She is one of the greats. So, thank you Kandi for your service. I did tell her, I was like, ‘You know, Kandi, you could drop back in in a year or two.’”

Andy Cohen Says Amazing Things About Kandi Burruss in Wake of Stunning Real Housewives of … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.

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Andy Cohen Says Amazing Things About Kandi Burruss in Wake of Stunning Real Housewives of … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.”}]] 

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