Production on season 15 of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” is slated to begin soon. However, Margaret Josephs won’t be returning as she announced her exit mere hours before Bravo confirmed that Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga, and Dolores Catania would be the only returning “RHONJ” stars.
Now, the 59-year-old television personality is hinting that Giudice may be the reason she decided not to return. Josephs appeared on the show for seven seasons, beginning in 2017.
Margaret Josephs Says She Test Filmed For ‘RHONJ’ Season 15
Josephs appeared on stage in April 2026 for an episode of “So Many Issues with Lukas,” hosted by Lukas Thimm. During the interview, she discussed “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” detailing the season 15 casting process and why she ultimately decided against returning.
The now “RHONJ” alum said, “I was talking to Andy and the network, like in December, and we were talking about it because I test filmed [with] the new girls, last summer, like in August. From there, she stated that she planned to return to the show, saying, “Things will be great.”
However, Josephs then said, “Some things had changed. Some people were going to come back on the show. I just knew it wasn’t going to be a good fit for me.” Then, she stated, “We ended the season on a dark note with some people’s husbands, you guys can guess who that is if you watch the show.”
For context, Giudice’s husband, Luis Ruelas, was accused in “RHONJ” season 14 of sending Josephs’ son an aggressive voicemail.
The ‘Housewives’ Alum Confirmed Her New Show
Josephs continued this line of discussion, saying that leading up to her exit announcement, she knew they would soon be revealing the returning cast. However, this came while she was filming a new reality show for Amazon. According to her, “I was very much at peace.”
Regarding deciding to leave, she stated, “I leave a party before the lights go on.” After that, the host called it a “serve” to announce her “RHONJ” departure while working on a new series, rather than being home and sad about not returning to Bravo.
Following Josephs’ comments about not returning to “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” fans have mixed reactions. One person commented on Instagram, implying that she was fired. They wrote, “Fired…new contract was NOT OFFERED.”
Another person stated that she shouldn’t have been surprised that Giudice would return. According to them, “Teresa was always coming back.” Someone else speculated about test filming, stating, “I think she test filmed, and it didn’t go as planned.”
A different “RHONJ” fan wrote, “Just say you got fired. It’s not that deep, Marge.” However, some social media users think that her absence from the show isn’t for the best. One person said, “Good for you, Margaret. Better things are coming! I won’t be watching with that person coming back.”
Margaret Recently Opened Up About Teresa Giudice
Josephs appeared on SiriusXM’s “Jeff Lewis Live” in April 2026. During the interview, she discussed her exit in great detail, also stating that she had done screen tests with the potential new cast members. However, regarding not returning, she said, “It’s supposed to be about a real group of friends, and I have friends on the show who I adore.”
Josephs continued, “I’m not going to hang out with those people, and that’s it. Obviously, Melissa and Dolores, but there’s other people who I’m really not friends with, and that’s not going to be me.”
Hinting at Giudice, she went on, “You know who it is, and she’s been on the franchise from the beginning. She’s not my people. I think there were boundaries that were crossed. I wish her no ill. I think she’s a good mother. But she’s just not my cup of tea. I don’t want to be around her.”
Josephs also claimed that one of the new “RHONJ” ladies stated Giduice was “amenable” to making up and that the mother of four “was texting her, calling her the entire time we were filming.”
It’s Unclear When ‘RHONJ’ Season 15 Will Begin Filming
Regarding Josephs, she’s wrapped filming on her Amazon project and has been home from the Dominican Republic for several days. However, it’s unclear when Giudice, Gorga, and Catania will begin production on “RHONJ” season 15.
Bravo announced them as the returners on March 24, stating that production will begin in the Spring. Reports say the full cast may be revealed at the NBCUniversal upfronts in May.
