NeNe Leakes Announces She’s Leaving ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’

*Here’s some news that’s gonna make some folks real giddy and others will be in total shock.

Ladies and gentlemen, the end has come. Yes, it’s all over, She’s DONE. Ok, Ok, let’s dispense with the dramatic build up and get right to the point. NeNe Leakes is LEAVING Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” Yes, you read that right. She’s outta there.

Leakes, 48, who’s been on the show since its beginning is NOT coming back for season 8, according to People. She says she’s had enough.

“This was definitely a hard decision for me,” Leakes tells PEOPLE. “Me and my husband [Gregg Leakes] have been going back and forth on it for weeks now. But my contract is up and I just think this is the right time. This is my opportunity to spread my wings and do different things.”

She says it’s not like she’s going into retirement. She’s going to be working on new projects

“I’m actually going to be doing a new primetime television show with a big legend,” Leakes teases of the series she begins filming this week. “All of my fans will get to see me be really happy, witty and funny and tell all of those one liners that I always have said on Housewives.”

It’s a new direction for Bravo’s biggest star.

“I feel a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders,” says Leakes, who throughout the years was the center of many arguments and altercations on the show.

“There were times when I was a target,” she says. “I won’t miss the negativity.”

We know she’ll be missed b y her fans, but what about her now former co-stars on “RHOA?”

“I think some of the girls will be happy,” Leakes says. “They always felt like I was the star, and they were never able to really shine with me there, so here’s their opportunity to shine.”

But on the other hand, she could still pop up on the show from time to time.

“I’m not saying I’m gone forever,” Leakes warns. “I’ll probably pop up and play with those girls every now and then.”

And you can best believe Bravo’s Andy Cohen is leaving the door open for Leakes’ return.  Monday evening he tweeted: “We love @NeNeLeakes & she is always welcome back to the house she helped build! She’s a Real Housewife forever!!”

We love @NeNeLeakes & she is always welcome back to the house she helped build! She’s a Real Housewife forever!!

— Andy Cohen (@Andy) June 30, 2015

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