The Real Housewives of Potomac alum Monique Samuels set to return for season 10 following exit in 2020

After stepping away from the spotlight in 2020, Monique Samuels is making her way back to The Real Housewives of Potomac for season 10. The Bravo series is currently filming in Maryland, and Samuels is confirmed to return in a supporting role.

Her comeback follows major changes in her personal life, including the finalization of her divorce from former NFL player Chris Samuels in 2023. On June 7, 2025, a source told People magazine that Samuels is ready to reintroduce herself to viewers, saying:

“She’s excited to show who she is now — not as a wife, not as just a mom, but as a woman starting over and taking on life on her own terms."

The source further said that she is presently in a "totally different place," which fans will see in the new season.

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Monique Samuels returns to the Bravo spotlight after five years with The Real Housewives of Potomac season 10

Return after a five-year absence

Samuels initially joined the cast of The Real Housewives of Potomac in season 2, which aired in 2017. She appeared in season 5 when she was involved in a physical fight with cast member Candiace Dillard Bassett. After the season and its reunion shows, Samuels indicated that she was not going to come back.

“It’s not easy doing reality TV...When you cross certain lines there's no going back. And for me, my family is that line,” she stated on Instagram.

At the time, she mentioned that filming took a toll on her personal life, especially her family.

“The opinion of my family and my kids and what they think about anything that I do is more valuable than anybody’s opinion,” she added.

Now, she comes back to the franchise with a different personal life and outlook. In September 2023, she ended her marriage of 11 years. She has three children with Chris Samuels, including Christopher, Milani, and Chase.

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Shift in role and current cast

Samuels is not rejoining as a full-time Housewife but as a “friend of the show,” a recurring supporting role often assigned to returning or new cast members. Her reappearance comes during a period of cast adjustments. Returning for The Real Housewives of Potomac season 10 are Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby, Wendy Osefo, Keiarna Stewart, and Stacey Rusch.

Two former cast members will not appear this season, as they exclusively told People magazine. Mia Thornton confirmed in April 2025 that she would not return, citing a relocation to Atlanta. Karen Huger is also absent this season due to serving a prison sentence related to a DUI conviction.

Huger received a two-year sentence with one year suspended. On February 27, 2025, when the publication asked about Huger's absence, Wendy Osefo stated:

“With this group, we have found a way to navigate with her presence and without her presence.”

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Recent public life and previous appearances

After she departed from The Real Housewives of Potomac, Samuels focused on her ventures and family. She launched the Mila Eve Essentials brand and later appeared on OWN’s Love & Marriage: DC in 2022. That appearance included her then-husband and publicly reflected the marital strain that preceded their separation.

She petitioned for divorce in April 2023, and the divorce was settled five months later. During an Instagram Live session in July 2023, Samuels explained:

“I just got to the point where I was in a place where I was so miserable. I am no longer the person that I was when I walked down that aisle 11 years ago.”

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Season 10 of The Real Housewives of Potomac is expected to premiere later in 2025 on Bravo, with episodes also available for streaming on Peacock.