Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 7: Release Date, Final Cast Announced; Porsha Demoted; Story Lines Revealed

By Kara Michelle Oct 02, 2014 08:16 AM EDT

Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 7: Release Date, Final Cast Announced; Porsha Demoted; Story Lines Revealed

Real Housewives of Atlanta City Season 7 start is on November 9 at 8 PM says Bravo TV. Cynthia Bailey, Kandi Burruss, NeNe Leakes, Phaedra Parks, and Kenya Moore will be back to comprise the regular Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 7 cast. Porsha Stewart, who has been a regular for the past two seasons, will however return demoted to a recurring guest role in the Bravo reality TV show.

There will also be two newcomers the the Real Housewives of Atlanta City Season 7. Singer and actress Demetria McKinney will come on board as a full-time 'Housewife' while Claudia Jordan, a TV and radio personality, will be a recurring guest star on the program.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 7 filming is still underway but the upcoming story lines revealed by Bravo will definitely include Atlanta's longest-running and highest-paid Housewife, NeNe Leakes, as she juggle her time and focus among "several professional pursuits: she's starred in Cirque du Soleil's Zumanity, launched a clothing line, and is prepping for her Broadway debut in Cinderella." Nene and Cynthia Bailey "will also attempt to rebuild their friendship after having a falling out-and in one emotionally charged scene, we see NeNe fighting to hold back tears," said Bravo. Incidentally, this may be the last season NeNe will be seen on the show. According to Classicalite, she will be quitting after her contract with Bravo expires in 2015 at the end of the Real Housewives of Atlanta City Season 7.

Kandi Burruss on the other hand "is ready to expand her family with her new husband Todd Tucker, but faces unexpected roadblocks along the way," according to the Bravo teaser. Kandi and Todd Tucker want to get a baby this year before she turns 40 next May. Kandi has told reporters: "I want to get pregnant this year! Knock it out by 39! We're really looking forward to having kids together. I can't wait to [have] one big family! I just don't want to keep waiting. At first, we thought it would just happen, but it hasn't yet. So now we're clocking days and making an effort. We really want to start a family together."

"Kenya Moore is also pursuing her dreams of starting a family," revealed Bravo, while the demoted Porsha Stewart, with whom she famously fought during last season's reunion episode, will be seen "in a recurring role, has joined a popular local television show as an entertainment correspondent." Porsha, according to US Magazine, will be be taking a job as a gossip reporter.

Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 7 will also chronicle how Phaedra Parks will be dealing with her husband's incarceration while taking care of her two children. According to Hollywood Life, her jailed husband Apollo's legal troubles would also be featured next season.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta's sixth season was the highest rated season across all of Bravo's key demographics, including an average 2 million viewers in the advertiser-coveted Adults 18-49 demo. Real Housewives of Atlanta averaged 3.5 million viewers per episode last season according to The Wrap. No wonder that the Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 7 salaries are high. According to OK Magazine, NeNe Leakes is the highest paid among all of the Bravo "Housewives" franchise. For last season, NeNe reportedly signed a $1 million plus bonuses deal with the network. She is followed by Teresa Giudice of the Real Housewives of New Jersey at $650,000. For the Real Housewives of Atlanta salaries, the next highest earner after NeNe is Kandi Burruss at $450,000, followed by Cynthia Bailey and Phaedra Parks at $300,000 each.

For more on the Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 7, plus the reunion full episode of last season, fans can visit the Bravo TV website.