Once you're in with The Real Housewives, you're in for life. Just look at Dina Manzo, Bethenny Frankel, Jacqueline Laurita, Lauri Waring Peterson…
"The Housewives are like the mafia, once you're in you're in. I always love the idea of a dramatic return," Andy Cohen told E! News in a recent interview promoting Purina One's campaign to recognize Mutt-i-grees, a program created by North Shore Animal League America and Yale researchers, that brings shelter dogs and students together. "It's really cool. I think if you look at OC at the end of the season we're always kind of having former Housewives at least come back for a cameo at the end of the season."
Yes, the franchise has seen its fair share of returns, especially on Real Housewives of Orange County and Real Housewives of New Jersey. But could one figure from RHONJ's past ever return to the fray? You know who we're talking about: Danielle Staub.
"Look, I never say never," Cohen said. "I never say never."
Real Housewives of New Jersey returned to Bravo after a prolonged hiatus to accommodate Teresa Giudice's return home from a prison sentence. Cameras were rolling when Teresa arrived home for the first time in nearly a year. Viewers also saw her reunite with longtime friend Jacqueline Laurita.
"I think it's been really interesting, and I think this Sunday's episode is when the reality of people's judgments about what she did start to come out, and it's interesting to see her reaction," Cohen teased. "I think that she does seem like a different person and it's been fascinating to watch her re-integration into home life.
"Teresa really came home in peace," he said, "which I really admire."
The Real Housewives of New Jersey airs Sundays, 8 p.m. on Bravo.
—Reporting by Francesca Bacardi
(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)