Bravo has announced the third season of The Real Housewives of New Jersey will premiere Monday, May 16 at 9PM ET/PT with a special 90-minute episode.
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The Real Housewives of New Jersey stars Teresa Giudice, Caroline Manzo and Jacqueline Laurita will return for the new season and be joined by new cast members Melissa Gorga -- who is Giudice's sister-in-law -- and Kathy Wakile, Giudice's first cousin.
Gorga and Wakile will be replacing former The Real Housewives of New Jersey stars Dina Manzo, who left midway through the show's second season, and Danielle Staub, whose departure was announced after Bravo's broadcast of the season's reunion show in September.
Reports that Staub -- who had clashed with the rest of the cast and was the reason Dina cited for leaving the show -- would not be returning for The Real Housewives of New Jersey's third season had previously surfaced in August.
Caroline later admitted she had told Bravo she would not return for the third season if Danielle remained part of the show's cast, confirming an eariler report that she and her sister-in-law Jacqueline had given the network an "it's her or us" ultimatum.
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According to Bravo, The Real Housewives of New Jersey's third season will pick up right where last season left off and feature the women celebrating the holidays.
In addition to The Real Housewives of New Jersey's third-season premiere, Bravo also announced Rocco's Dinner Party will premiere Wednesday, June 15 at 11PM ET/PT and Million Dollar Decorators will premiere Tuesday, May 31 at 10PM ET/PT.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski