Melissa Gorga isn’t offering any teasers when it comes to The Real Housewives of New Jersey — especially after that test casting news.
“We can’t confirm or deny, so we don’t know,” Melissa, 46, told Us Weekly exclusively at the Page Six Virtual Reali-Tea “VRT Awards” 2025 at City Winery on Wednesday, September 17. “The last thing Andy Cohen said was that we’re close, which is awesome. We’re all crossing our fingers, whatever Bravo decides.”
Melissa said that she and husband Joe Gorga are “ready to go” as soon as they get the green light. “Tap us in,” she quipped.
Us Weekly broke the news earlier this month that some of the RHONJ stars have test-filmed with new cast members. A source told Us exclusively that Melissa was included, along with Margaret Josephs and Dolores Catania. (Danielle Cabral previously told Us that she was not asked to film.)
“I feel like our answer never really changes when it comes to the show. I do think it should be an authentic relationship, though,” Melissa told Us on Wednesday. “Anyone who’s trying to say it should come back with unauthentic relationships. I just think it would be a huge mistake.”
The new iteration of the show has to “be real,” Melissa shared. (RHONJ took a hiatus following its 14th season, which aired last year, because of tension with members of the cast.)
“It’s got to be a true group of friends or I really don’t think it works,” Melissa continued. “That’s just the facts, no matter which way it goes. … I just feel like it needs to be a real group of friends.”
The same source echoed Melissa’s sentiment in Us’ report earlier this month.
“They want to see how the new girls work on camera with some veteran cast members from the show,” the insider explained. A Bravo spokesperson told Us that “no official casting decisions have been made,” but the same source reported that Michelle Barone is being looked at as a potential new cast member.
Bravo boss Cohen has also weighed in on the future of RHONJ without giving too much away.
“We’re close,” he said during an episode of Watch What Happens Live last month after “Las Culturistas” podcast host Matt Rogers made the show the focus of his “I Don’t Think So, Honey” rant.
“OK, I don’t think so, honey — I love ya — we need answers about New Jersey,” Rogers quipped. “I am an American standing on American ground and while we still have free speech, you’re on notice Andy Cohen.”
Read the full article here
