Just when you think The Real Housewives of New Jersey can't get more wild, a new season comes along.
There were several shocking moments teased in the trailer for the Bravo series' 12th season, but one of the most jarring was a physical altercation between Melissa Gorga and Jennifer Aydin.
Now, just ahead of tonight's season premiere, Melissa is exclusively telling E! News' Daily Pop what really happened.
"I got up and I was trying to...sometimes we're passionate over here in Jersey," she said on Tuesday, Feb. 1. "And when we need to express ourselves, I have to get out of my seat—not put my hands on anyone—just get out of your seat to prove a point."
Referencing the brief clip from the trailer, Melissa continued, "And then you saw it, she grabbed my hand. And you guys will see what happens from there."
Of course, that's not to say she's proud of the way things went down.
"I do not like that," Melissa added. "I'm not down with any of that. I'm not into touching each other. You can use your words, right?"
As for the cause of the disagreement, Daily Pop host Justin Sylvester couldn't help but posit his own theory.
"I think Jennifer is unraveling this season because she has put forth such a front of her marriage and her happy life, and I feel like it's all starting to unravel and she is losing control," he said. "Am I correct?"
Melissa's response? "I think that you're probably hitting the nail right on the head, if you ask me."
"I mean, everyone has their own opinion," she added. "But I think she was holding, saving face for a while...I think the house is starting to—you know, the windows are getting cleaned, and we can see inside a little bit. And I think she's stressed and panicking and acting up and you know, just losing it. There's a lot of crying out of her this season."
For her part, Jennifer exclusively told E! News that the source of much of her stress this season is a family secret coming to light—one that does indeed involve her husband Bill Aydin.
"I'll have you know that this secret that nobody knew about was really, on my end, nobody knew," Jennifer said, describing the secret as "one of the hardest things for me to be able to have to now deal with" in the public eye.
If anyone can relate to this, it's Teresa Giudice. Also to come this season is the seemingly tense introduction of her fiancé, Luis Ruelas.
"Listen, we love Luis," Melissa said, addressing the group's initial suspicions of him as seen in the season 12 trailer. "We know him well now. I think it's like that with anybody who is new to a group...Listen if, your best friend comes out with a new boyfriend, you're gonna be like, 'Who is this guy, and where did he come from? And how does he know you?' So we definitely were quizzing him a little bit, we're asking some questions."
"But ultimately," she continued, "When I see that my sister-in-law is in love, as she is, and she's happy...I mean, she just went to Aspen and I think she posted 17 pictures in her five days of being there!"
Hear Melissa dish on Teresa's wedding plans and more in the above Daily Pop interview!
The Real Housewives of New Jersey premieres tonight, Tuesday, Feb. 1 at 8 p.m. on Bravo.
You can also catch Melissa in The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, now streaming on Peacock.
(E!, Bravo and Peacock are all part of the NBCUniversal family.)