Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga and former cast member Jacqueline Laurita are returning to Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” for Season 7, with more cast to be announced.
Giudice, whose house-arrest portion of her 15-month sentence for loan and bankruptcy fraud ended Friday, told Bravo, “I am very excited to be back,” adding, “For me, this season is all about letting go of the past and embracing the future. People are calling me Teresa 2.0.” She tweeted Monday to fans, “You guys excited for me, @melissagorga [and] @JacLaurita . . . #RHONJ Season 7? I am!!”
Gorga, who joined in Season 3, said in a statement to the cable network: “We’re back! This season for me is all about family, fun, friendships and fashion. I can’t wait for you to see what we’ve been up to and how much our kids have grown.” Gorga and her husband, Giudice’s brother Joe Gorga, have three children.
Laurita — who joined in Season 3 in 2011 but was only a recurring guest in 2014’s Season 6 — said in her Bravo statement, “I’m baaaaack! I can’t get enough of my Bravo family! Sometimes a little break is all I need to jump back in and bring my best! Looking forward to new beginnings. XOXO.”
The network said Laurita hoped she and Giudice could continue their “Lucy and Ethel” friendship — referring to Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance’s classic characters from the sitcom “I Love Lucy” — and Laurita on Monday posted Instagram images of Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz. Additionally, the network said the season will feature Laurita’s duties as a mother of three, including raising an autistic son, Nicholas.
With a premiere date to be announced, Season 7 also sees mother-of-four Giudice preparing for husband Joe to begin his own 3 1⁄2-year prison term in late March.
