“Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Dolores Catania appears in Bravo’s newest franchise, “Rhode Island,” as a friend of the show. As the show continues to air, many are wondering whether the “RHONJ” star will appear in the yet-to-be-filmed reunion. Based on reports, the answer is no, and now an insider is weighing in on why she wasn’t invited.
Additionally, many fans of the new show are wondering why she was cast, as she has yet to make a genuine mark with viewers. This is despite her being a fan-favorite on “RHONJ.”
A source with knowledge of the situation spoke to RealityBlurb in May 2026. Regarding why fans won’t see Catania at the “RHORI” reunion, they said, “Dolores wasn’t invited to the ‘RHORI’ reunion for a few reasons.”
The person explained, “First, she is back to filming ‘RHONJ.’ That was and is her primary show. And that obviously will be occupying her time.”
After that, the insider stated what many “RHORI” fans have expressed. According to them, “But, for as chaotic and dramatic as these women are, she wasn’t really involved in any of the drama. She was ancillary in terms of being more of a sweet background character. She didn’t need to make a name for herself as the main cast members did, and she didn’t attempt to.”
Bravo Remains Invested In Dolores Catania
The insider continued, saying Bravo didn’t feel it was necessary to include Catania. They said, “The reunion won’t be any worse for the wear without her in it, and thus, Bravo probably didn’t feel the need to bring her up for it.”
However, the person insisted that the network remains invested in the longtime “RHONJ” star. According to the insider, “But she was simply a friend of and a great bridge to get people invested in these amazing new women. While it may come off as weird to not see her as she was in the season, Bravo clearly remains invested in her as a star of the network. There wasn’t anyone else they gave another show from ‘RHONJ’ during the pause, and that clearly says something.”
Fans React To Dolores Not Being Asked To The Reunion
Following reports that Catania was not invited to the “RHORI” reunion, fans have shared their reactions online. For the most part, they feel she won’t be missed, despite their excitement for her “RHONJ” return.
One person said, “They called her a ‘Friend of’ just to appease her while the Jersey stuff was in flux, but she’s barely even been a guest star. At least Phaedra got a season out of #Married2Med.”
Someone else stated, “She was clearly there as a backup and edited out from the rest of the show once they realized how strong the cast was, plus Jersey filming again, they figured it was a win-win for everyone. Wish I saw more of her, but the ‘RI’ girls are eating just fine on their own.”
Another “RHORI” watcher said on X, “Lol, makes sense. She was less of a friend of the show and more of a guest. She really was just used to promote the show. Like she’s offered zero to the storyline as most FOHs do. I can’t even be mad because she got a lil cute check to film & literally just exist.”
Lastly, a different person wrote, “Bravo didn’t know how successful this show was going to be; they saw it, so now they discarded her. As long as she got paid, I wouldn’t give a damn.”
The ‘RHORI’ Friend Of Says Her Filming Was Limited
Catania appeared on a recent episode of the “Two Ts In a Pod” podcast. While on, she revealed that she thought she would have filmed more with the cast than she ultimately did. The 55-year-old said, “I was bitter. When I got there, they didn’t let me film as much. They kept me on the bench. I was the wellness team. I got every phone call, every scene.”
Additionally, the “RHONJ” star went on to say that even costars called out production’s decision to limit her filming. She recalled, “Liz was so upset. It didn’t even make sense for me not to be there.”
Catania added, “I could have been more of a friend and done more on the show.”
‘RHORI’ Is A Hit
According to Deadline, “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” became Bravo’s biggest new show in two years. Specifically, this is the case for multiplatform audiences, including live viewership and streaming. Per the outlet, “RHORI” drew 2.7 million viewers in the 7 days following its series premiere.
That’s not all. The episode became Bravo’s most-watched series or season premiere on Peacock within its first seven days.
“The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” airs on Sunday nights, following “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”
