Teresa Giudice dismissed rumors that her willingness to reconcile with brother Joe Gorga is driven by a desire to return to The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
The reality star surprised fans on her September 11 appearance on Jeff Lewis Live when she revealed she’d be open to mending ties with her estranged brother.
When host Jeff Lewis asked whether she could “co-exist” with Joe and his wife, Melissa Gorga, on the Bravo series, the 53-year-old replied, “Never say never. I think everyone can co-exist. Just put your big-girl panties on and be mature.”
Teresa Giudice put to rest rumors that her desire to reconcile with brother Joe Gorga is fueled by a bid to return to Real Housewives of New Jersey.
The reality star surprised fans earlier this month by hinting at the possibility of a reunion with her estranged brother.
Her olive branch came shortly after reports surfaced that several RHONJ cast members had already begun test filming without her, sparking fan speculation about her intentions.
Giudice addressed the rumors on her Turning The Tables podcast Thursday, firmly denying that she is “desperate” to return to the Bravo franchise.
“I’m not desperate. If Bravo doesn’t want me back, I’m fine with that. If Bravo wants me back, I’ll be fine with that. I’m not just saying that because I’m desperate and want my job back,” she clarified.
Her olive branch followed reports that several RHONJ cast members had already begun test filming without her, fueling fan speculation about her intentions.
“I’m not saying this out of desperation or a need to get my job back,” she emphasized on her podcast Thursday.
“Unfortunately, I know the timing looks crazy because there were reports that they were filming, but they’re not,” Giudice said.
She revealed that certain events have “changed [her] mind” about reconciling with her 51-year-old brother Joe, though she’s not ready to share the details just yet.
The reality star emphasized that her desire to extend an “olive branch” is rooted in her role as a mother, explaining she wants to “be a good example” for her four daughters because she is “a mom first.”
Giudice revealed that recent events have “changed [her] mind” about repairing her relationship with Joe, though she isn’t ready to share the details just yet.
She added that she hopes to extend an “olive branch” to set a positive example for her four daughters.
Giudice emphasized the importance of moving forward rather than dwelling on the past. “Listen, we could rehash things. And then where’s that going to get us? Nowhere. Sometimes you just have to let the past go and move forward. A lot of people look up to me, and I want to be a good example for everyone,” she said.
The Bravolebrity added that “people do change” and that she no longer holds onto the anger she once carried.
At one point during the episode, Giudice appeared to respond to Melissa Gorga’s comments about her initial olive branch, shared just a day earlier. Melissa had told Page Six that, as far as she knew, Giudice’s “door has been closed.”
During the conversation, Giudice appeared to respond to Melissa’s reaction to her initial “olive branch,” which had been shared just a day before her podcast episode.
Melissa told Page Six exclusively that, to her knowledge, Teresa had consistently made it clear that “the door has been closed.”
The mom of four didn’t mention Melissa by name or respond to her remarks directly, but noted, “Right away, I see what she is saying, which is fine.”
Representatives for Giudice were not immediately available for comment.
Although Giudice maintained that her intentions are genuine, Melissa, 46, raised doubts about whether her sister-in-law’s olive branch might be connected to the ongoing hiatus of their Bravo series during Page Six’s Virtual Reali-Tea Awards on Wednesday.
Even as Giudice insisted her intentions are genuine, Melissa raised questions about
“Neither of us has had any contact in probably two years, so it’s really strange for that to come out of nowhere,” she added.
“[Giudice] has said on multiple platforms — podcasts, interviews, whatever it might be — that the door is closed. So honestly, I’m just confused why it might be opening or even cracking a little bit,” Melissa said.
“Neither of us have had any contact in probably two years, so it’s really strange for this to come out of nowhere,” added the Envy store owner.
Meanwhile, cameras reportedly started rolling again last month with a few familiar faces from the previous season of RHONJ.
Filming reportedly resumed last month, bringing back several familiar faces from the previous season of RHONJ.
Giudice firmly dismissed rumors that production had resumed without her.
