Dolores Catania Makes Her Role on ‘Real Housewives of Rhode Island’ Very Clear

Dolores Catania spoke out about filming for “The Real Housewives” – but not in New Jersey. The RHONJ veteran spent part of her hiatus from the Bravo reality show filming scenes for the upcoming “Real Housewives of Rhode Island” this summer. But she made it clear that she is not a full cast member.

Speaking on SiriusXM’s “The Nikki & Brie Show” on August 4, Catania addressed her future on Bravo TV. “So, what’s in the future?” she said. “So, I’m right now visiting, there’s a new franchise called ‘Housewives of Rhode Island.’ I’m visiting. I’m just visiting.”

Catania hinted that the Housewives newcomers may need to step up the drama. “It’s so great to tell the other girls to fight because they’re not, I don’t know them as well,” she said. “I have one friend there, so I kind of, like the girls are, yeah. I’m helping out. Let’s say that. I’m visiting.”

“They’re just started filming,” she added. “They’re babies. They don’t know what’s in for them. They don’t know what they’re in for.”

There Were Rumors That Dolores Catania Was a Full RHORI Cast Member

In May, Bravo announced the launch of  the new show, “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island.” Soon after, rumors began to swirl about Catania amid the RHONJ ongoing production pause.

An insider alleged to OK magazine that Catania would “rent a summer house there and will be a friend of the Housewives.”

Bravo producer Andy Cohen promptly addressed the casting rumors,  telling People magazine, “I think that’s been a little overstated.”

“It’s really about who’s in Rhode Island,” he added of the cast of the new show.

Andy Cohen Compared the RHORI Cast to Early RHONJ

It makes sense that Catania would fit in as a visiting friend on RHORI, because the new show is reportedly reminiscent of the OG Jersey days.

In an interview with Page Six in May, Cohen described the RHORI cast as “more Italian” with “deep families” than other “Real Housewives” franchises. “[It] does kind of remind you of early ‘Jersey’ in a weird way,” he added. “They are very Italian. … It’s an incredible group of women who have really interesting connections. I think it’s going to really surprise people.”

A press release posted by Bravo teased that “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island would feature “a tight-knit circle of Rhode Islanders who have deep community roots and families that go back generations. “