The rumors are true. Nneka Ihim from The Real Housewives of Potomac won’t be returning to the show for a second season. The lawyer and entrepreneur confirmed the news with PEOPLE.
“I will not be returning for season 9 of RHOP,” she said in an exclusive statement.
“At this point, after multiple failed fertility procedures, I have decided to make expanding my family my ultimate priority,” the reality TV personality said. “Thank you to the fans that have supported me along the way this season, especially regarding my difficult IUI turned IVF journey, and the stigma surrounding infertility. All of the kind remarks have genuinely kept me uplifted and have fueled my determination to continue to share my story.”
Ihim was open about her fertility journey during her time on the show. She embarked on that journey with her husband, Ikenna Ihim, M.D., whom she married in 2021. After getting hitched, the couple moved to Potomac. During the show, she talked about her failed fertility attempts and also said that she’d love to have boy and girl twins and call it a day as it relates to giving birth.
During her interview, the first-generation Nigerian-American thanked Bravo and Truly Original for the opportunity. Ihim also added that she “built lifetime friendships with some incredible women through this experience.”
The entrepreneur may have had some clashes with some of the women on-screen (she fell out with fellow Nigerian cast member Wendy Osefo), but she also received some love. During the reunion, she told Andy Cohen that the cast members had been “incredibly supportive” of her fertility journey. The Ihims have tried an intrauterine insemination (IUI) procedure in the past with no success. They’re now trying in vitro fertilization (IVF). She joins Candiace Dillard Bassett, who is pregnant, and Robyn Dixon as the cast members to part ways with the series ahead of Season 9.
“As a true resident of Potomac proper, 20854, just know that I’ll be seeing you all again soon,” she concluded.
