NeNe Leakes Revealed The Heartbreaking Reason She Rejected The Traitors Season 4 Casting Call

Throughout the history of The Traitors, the hit reality show has starred some incredible people. Nikki Garcia was a wrestling champion before she lost The Traitors for a personal reason and Cirie Fields was a reality show legend before she betrayed people and won The Traitors. Of course, before "Boston" Rob Mariano turned on Bob the Drag Queen and broke the Traitors, he became the most famous Survivor player ever.

During the fourth season of The Traitors, the show will yet again star many fascinating people, including three former Survivor stars. However, the season sadly won't feature the Real Housewives icon NeNe Leakes because she rejected The Traitors' casting call for a truly heartbreaking reason.

NeNe Leakes Couldn't Join The Cast Of The Traitors Season 4 Because Of Her Son's Serious Medical Needs

From the time that the American version of The Traitors premiered, the show has been linked to the Real Housewives franchise. That is because every season of the show has featured major stars from the Real Housewives franchise.

During The Traitors Season 4, fans of the hit reality show will once again see several Real Housewives stars compete in Alan Cumming's castle. The upcoming season will feature Candiace Dillard Bassett, Dorinda Medley, Lisa Rinna, and Porsha Williams.

While that is an impressive list of Real Housewives stars, it turns out that The Traitors Season 4 almost featured one of the franchise's most iconic stars. However, NeNe Leakes revealed that she had to turn down The Traitors Season 4 because of her son's serious medical needs.

In July 2025, NeNe made on the "Humble Brag with Crystal and Cynthia" podcast, which can be listened to on Apple Podcasts.

During the podcast episode, NeNe explained that she had been asked to compete during The Traitors Season 4. Additionally, NeNe revealed that she was excited about the opportunity when she was asked.

“I was asked to do Traitors — I was really excited about doing it, by the way.”

Despite NeNe's excitement, fans know that she didn't become part of The Traitors Season 4's cast.

Given that NeNe was excited by the prospect of competing in The Traitors, and she is clearly a person who is willing to take risks, that begs an obvious question. Why did NeNe turn The Traitors down?

According to an article published by Cosmopolitan UK, filming a season of The Traitors is an intense experience. While the outlet quoted a player who competed in The Traitors UK, it seems like their remarks apply to the cast of The Traitors US since both shows are filmed in the same location. According to Alex Gray, she filmed her season of The Traitors over a two-week span for as long as 17 hours per day. Since Alex was eliminated relatively early on, it is believed that a full season of The Traitors takes roughly three weeks to film.

During the same podcast episode, NeNe explained that she couldn't leave to film The Traitors because her son Brentt Leakes was in the hospital.

“I couldn’t do Traitors because my son is in the hospital, and he’s still in the hospital. My son’s been in the hospital since May.”

In October 2024, an Essence article revealed that NeNe Leake's son had gone through some incredibly serious health problems. The article reported on a social media post that NeNe's son made at that time which revealed that Brentt had undergone a heart transplant.

In October 2022, an NBC News article revealed that NeNe Leakes's son Brentt, who was 23-years-old at the time, had suffered a stroke and was suffering from congestive heart failure. Weeks later in January 2023, a People article reported on Brentt revealing on Instagram at the time that he'd lost 100 pounds.

During her podcast appearance, NeNe explained that her son had spent weeks in the hospital because his body began rejecting his new heart.

"What's happening now is his heart started rejecting. So, they are now trying to stop the rejection."

With her son in the hospital to ensure his body didn't reject his heart, it makes perfect sense that NeNe wouldn't leave for weeks to film The Traitors.

While speaking to the hosts of the podcast, NeNe revealed that she initially thought she would be able to go on The Traitors. Based on when The Traitors Season 4 was filming, NeNe thought her son would be doing well enough by then that she would be able to go. However, NeNe later realized that she had to turn the show down.

"With Traitors, from the meeting I had, 'You need to leave by June 10, June 11, something like that.' You know, in my mind I kept thinking, 'Maybe by June 10, Brentt will be much better.' You know, just thinking that in my head. But, my fear was committing and then having to go back to them and say, I can't do it. So that was never gonna work."

Even though competing on the show would have been a huge opportunity, NeNe ultimately stated she is glad she turned The Traitors down.

"I'm so glad I said no."

Fortunately for her family, NeNe told the podcast hosts that Brentt had significantly recovered. “If Brent had been in the place that he’s in today, I would have went. We can FaceTime. He’s talking. He wasn’t walking at the time. Now he’s walking, he’s talking.”

NeNe Leakes Has Repeatedly Rejected Celebrity Big Brother

As part of NeNe Leakes' aforementioned on the "Humble Brag with Crystal and Cynthia" podcast, she was asked many fascinating questions. For example, NeNe was asked if there were any reality shows she hadn't been offered that she would like to appear on. In response, NeNe told the podcast hosts, "I think I've been asked to do everything."

The podcast hosts went on to ask NeNe whether she'd ever been offered the chance to compete on Celebrity Big Brother. Amazingly enough, NeNe explained that she has repeatedly rejected Celebrity Big Brother.

"I've been ask to do Big Brother every year, and I say no. Now that's one show I say no to."

Since so many people have competed on the show, NeNe was then asked to explain why she wouldn't compete on Celebrity Big Brother.

NeNe then explained that she didn't think she would be able to accept being cut off from the world as the show demands.