Bravo released the explosive Season 17 trailer for The Real Housewives of Atlanta on Tuesday, Feb. 24, confirming the return of Porsha Williams, Phaedra Parks, Drew Sidora, Shamea Morton, Angela Oakley and Kelli Ferrell. Two new full-time cast members, Pinky Cole and K. Michelle, join the lineup, with Cynthia Bailey appearing as a friend of the show.
The season premieres April 5 on Bravo.
The teaser opens with Drew setting the tone, narrating, “A group of beautiful dolls” living in Atlanta who “really tried to be good,” before admitting, “But spilling tea is their favorite game.” She adds, “And when the tea is poured, that’s when the dolls come alive.”
And alive they are.
The newcomers waste no time questioning Phaedra, who returns to the franchise as a longtime attorney with a complicated history on the show. K. Michelle throws the first jab, saying, “I trust no lawyer that don’t practice the law.” Pinky Cole follows up with a line that instantly raised eyebrows: “I don’t trust no lawyer that eat dead people.”
Yes, you read that right.
The trailer later cuts to Phaedra looking stunned as she asks, “I eat dead people?”
For context, Pinky Cole is the CEO of Slutty Vegan, the plant-based fast-casual chain that made her a household name in Atlanta. The comment appears to be a not-so-subtle dig at Phaedra’s past work as an attorney representing clients in high-profile and often controversial cases. Subtle? Not exactly.
Rumors don’t stop there.
The trailer teases whispers ranging from “eating dead people” to allegations of sleeping with a married man, proving Season 17 won’t lack scandal. K. Michelle, who joins the cast after years on Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, is also shown confronting drama involving a man allegedly connected to Drew Sidora who had been messaging her.
Away from the group chaos, cameras follow K. Michelle and her husband, Dr. Kastan Sims, as she pivots her music career toward country. The “Jack Daniels” singer makes it clear she’s entering a new era — personally and professionally.
Meanwhile, Pinky’s business empire takes center stage. The trailer highlights her growing vegan brand as well as her marriage to Derrick Hayes, CEO of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks. But business doesn’t shield her from conflict. In one heated exchange with Angela Oakley, Pinky snaps, “I should have bought your foreclosed houses.”
Angela fires back, “Don’t do it, Papa Smurf.”
Between new blood, returning veterans and accusations flying before the premiere even airs, Season 17 looks determined to revive Atlanta’s glory days — or at the very least, make sure no one leaves without a headline.
April 5 can’t come soon enough.
