Cynthia Bailey.Photo: Bravo MediaCynthia Baileyis opening up about her decision to exitThe Real Housewives of Atlanta.Earlier this week, the 54-year-old reality star — who has been a full-time cast member of the Bravo series since its third season in 2010 — announced in an Instagram post that she would beleaving the show.On Friday, speaking withE! News’Daily Pop, Bailey explained why now is the right time for her to step away from the series. “It’s been an incredible journey and I have to be honest you guys, I’m happy but I’m also sad at the same time,” she said. “It’s almost like, ‘What in the world, how did I do this for 11 years?’ ““When I look back, even looking at the intro, I want to go back and watch all the seasons with me on it. Because when you live it, when you’re a part of it, it’s actually [a] very difficult show to watch sometimes. It’s a hard show to do,” Bailey continued. “I feel like I did it, I did it my way and I made it out alive, with a brand and a whole husband.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Cynthia Bailey.Paras Griffin/Getty ImagesBailey said onDaily Popthat her decision to leave wasn’t spontaneous. “It was time, it was honestly time,” she said. “I had been thinking about it for a while — just the whole transition. I knew it wasn’t going to last forever. I knew I didn’twantto do it forever.““Ten years is a good run,” she added, “but that said, with me just thinking about it, then the whole thing happened with us going on hiatus so it gave me more time to think about it and then I got really used to not going back.“Want to get the biggest stories fromPEOPLEevery weekday?Subscribe to our new podcast,PEOPLE Every Day,to get the essential celebrity, entertainment and human interest news stories Monday through Friday.And, according to Bailey, her time onRHOAalmost came close to not being officially over, as she had been offered the opportunity to appear on the series as a “friend” of the show for the program’s upcoming season 14.“Ironically, I actually introduced the ‘friend’ contract on the show, but that’s neither here nor there,” she said. “And I thought, ‘You know what? That may be a perfect way for me to transition. I don’t have to commit completely fully to being a Housewife, and I can be a friend and kind of phase myself off the show.’ And then I decided, you know what, cut the cord.“RELATED VIDEO:Cynthia BaileySays That One of Her ‘Friendships Has Definitely Changed’ Because of All-StarsBailey also shut down any speculation that her husband, Mike Hill — who is based in Los Angeles — played any part in her decision to leaveRHOA.“Listen, let me correct the streets,” she said onDaily Pop. “Mike has always been super supportive of me, for sure. At the end of the day, he wants me to do what is going to be best for me and what’s happy for me.“And although she won’t be a part of the cast moving forward, Bailey isn’t leaving theReal Housewivesfranchise completely.She is part of the cast of the upcomingHousewivescrossover vacation series, alongside fan-favoritesLuann de Lesseps,Melissa Gorga,Teresa Giudice,Kenya Moore,Kyle RichardsandRamona Singer. The show is set to stream on Peacock later this year.
Cynthia Bailey.Photo: Bravo Media
Cynthia Baileyis opening up about her decision to exitThe Real Housewives of Atlanta.Earlier this week, the 54-year-old reality star — who has been a full-time cast member of the Bravo series since its third season in 2010 — announced in an Instagram post that she would beleaving the show.On Friday, speaking withE! News’Daily Pop, Bailey explained why now is the right time for her to step away from the series. “It’s been an incredible journey and I have to be honest you guys, I’m happy but I’m also sad at the same time,” she said. “It’s almost like, ‘What in the world, how did I do this for 11 years?’ ““When I look back, even looking at the intro, I want to go back and watch all the seasons with me on it. Because when you live it, when you’re a part of it, it’s actually [a] very difficult show to watch sometimes. It’s a hard show to do,” Bailey continued. “I feel like I did it, I did it my way and I made it out alive, with a brand and a whole husband.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Cynthia Bailey.Paras Griffin/Getty ImagesBailey said onDaily Popthat her decision to leave wasn’t spontaneous. “It was time, it was honestly time,” she said. “I had been thinking about it for a while — just the whole transition. I knew it wasn’t going to last forever. I knew I didn’twantto do it forever.““Ten years is a good run,” she added, “but that said, with me just thinking about it, then the whole thing happened with us going on hiatus so it gave me more time to think about it and then I got really used to not going back.“Want to get the biggest stories fromPEOPLEevery weekday?Subscribe to our new podcast,PEOPLE Every Day,to get the essential celebrity, entertainment and human interest news stories Monday through Friday.And, according to Bailey, her time onRHOAalmost came close to not being officially over, as she had been offered the opportunity to appear on the series as a “friend” of the show for the program’s upcoming season 14.“Ironically, I actually introduced the ‘friend’ contract on the show, but that’s neither here nor there,” she said. “And I thought, ‘You know what? That may be a perfect way for me to transition. I don’t have to commit completely fully to being a Housewife, and I can be a friend and kind of phase myself off the show.’ And then I decided, you know what, cut the cord.“RELATED VIDEO:Cynthia BaileySays That One of Her ‘Friendships Has Definitely Changed’ Because of All-StarsBailey also shut down any speculation that her husband, Mike Hill — who is based in Los Angeles — played any part in her decision to leaveRHOA.“Listen, let me correct the streets,” she said onDaily Pop. “Mike has always been super supportive of me, for sure. At the end of the day, he wants me to do what is going to be best for me and what’s happy for me.“And although she won’t be a part of the cast moving forward, Bailey isn’t leaving theReal Housewivesfranchise completely.She is part of the cast of the upcomingHousewivescrossover vacation series, alongside fan-favoritesLuann de Lesseps,Melissa Gorga,Teresa Giudice,Kenya Moore,Kyle RichardsandRamona Singer. The show is set to stream on Peacock later this year.
Cynthia Baileyis opening up about her decision to exitThe Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Earlier this week, the 54-year-old reality star — who has been a full-time cast member of the Bravo series since its third season in 2010 — announced in an Instagram post that she would beleaving the show.
On Friday, speaking withE! News’Daily Pop, Bailey explained why now is the right time for her to step away from the series. “It’s been an incredible journey and I have to be honest you guys, I’m happy but I’m also sad at the same time,” she said. “It’s almost like, ‘What in the world, how did I do this for 11 years?’ "
“When I look back, even looking at the intro, I want to go back and watch all the seasons with me on it. Because when you live it, when you’re a part of it, it’s actually [a] very difficult show to watch sometimes. It’s a hard show to do,” Bailey continued. “I feel like I did it, I did it my way and I made it out alive, with a brand and a whole husband.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Cynthia Bailey.Paras Griffin/Getty Images
Bailey said onDaily Popthat her decision to leave wasn’t spontaneous. “It was time, it was honestly time,” she said. “I had been thinking about it for a while — just the whole transition. I knew it wasn’t going to last forever. I knew I didn’twantto do it forever.”
“Ten years is a good run,” she added, “but that said, with me just thinking about it, then the whole thing happened with us going on hiatus so it gave me more time to think about it and then I got really used to not going back.”
Want to get the biggest stories fromPEOPLEevery weekday?Subscribe to our new podcast,PEOPLE Every Day,to get the essential celebrity, entertainment and human interest news stories Monday through Friday.
And, according to Bailey, her time onRHOAalmost came close to not being officially over, as she had been offered the opportunity to appear on the series as a “friend” of the show for the program’s upcoming season 14.
“Ironically, I actually introduced the ‘friend’ contract on the show, but that’s neither here nor there,” she said. “And I thought, ‘You know what? That may be a perfect way for me to transition. I don’t have to commit completely fully to being a Housewife, and I can be a friend and kind of phase myself off the show.’ And then I decided, you know what, cut the cord.”
RELATED VIDEO:Cynthia BaileySays That One of Her ‘Friendships Has Definitely Changed’ Because of All-Stars
Bailey also shut down any speculation that her husband, Mike Hill — who is based in Los Angeles — played any part in her decision to leaveRHOA.
“Listen, let me correct the streets,” she said onDaily Pop. “Mike has always been super supportive of me, for sure. At the end of the day, he wants me to do what is going to be best for me and what’s happy for me.”
And although she won’t be a part of the cast moving forward, Bailey isn’t leaving theReal Housewivesfranchise completely.
She is part of the cast of the upcomingHousewivescrossover vacation series, alongside fan-favoritesLuann de Lesseps,Melissa Gorga,Teresa Giudice,Kenya Moore,Kyle RichardsandRamona Singer. The show is set to stream on Peacock later this year.
source: people.com
