NeNe Leakes is leaving Real Housewives of Atlanta after 12 seasons

People

Leakes, one of the Bravo reality show's original cast members, has opted not to return for Season 13, announcing the news in a YouTube video.  "Thank you to all of you guys that have been showing me a lot of love and support as of late. I feel you, I hear you," she said. "I have been on an extremely, extremely long, exhausting, tiring, emotional negotiation. There has been a lot of emotion flying on both sides," she said in the video. "It has been hard, and I have made the very hard and difficult decision to not be a part of Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 13."