Cynthia Bailey of The Real Housewives of Atlanta recently opened up about some of her marital concerns in the face of what some call a 'curse.' Earlier this month, Cynthia announced that she would be leaving The Real Housewives of Atlanta, leaving many fans wondering what caused her to make that decision. Cynthia shared why she believes her marriage with Mike Hill could be jeopardized if she remains on the show and how she intends to defend it. 

Cynthia first appeared on The Real Housewives of Atlanta season 3 in 2010. Cynthia recently announced that she would be leaving the show after 11 years. Previously, Cynthia claimed the reason she would be leaving was that she was simply no longer interested in the show and was tired. Cynthia also attempted to put an end to any rumors that her husband Mike had forced her to quit the show. Cynthia and Mike have been married since October 2020, following Cynthia's 2016 split with Peter Thomas. 

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Cynthia's divorce from Peter was difficult for her. She recently shared with Page Six that it had an impact on her decision to leave the show. "After going through my divorce with my ex [Peter Thomas], I'm very protective of my second marriage because, you know, I really want it to work," says Cynthia. She adds that she feels she needs to "do everything that I can to protect it and to protect Mike." She says that being on the show can be a "slippery slope" and that it isn't "the most positive atmosphere." Cynthia doesn't believe The Real Housewives of Atlanta was the sole cause of her and Peter's divorce, but she does believe it played a role. She argues that any issues that are already existing in the relationship can be exacerbated by the show, and that if a couple is on the show "those issues are going to play out, whether you're on the show or not." Cynthia's marital issues played out on screen before her and Peter's divorce, and the last thing she wants is to repeat that pattern in her current relationship.  

Cynthia Bailey and Mike Hill from The Real Housewives of Atlanta

Cynthia notes that she is thankful for any opportunities that came as a result of The Real Housewives of Atlanta but it is too detrimental to relationships "especially if the foundation is not solid." She says that she hopes to be involved in a project that is "a little less drama based" in the future. She adds, however, that she will not be ruling out a return to the Real Housewives franchise and even teases that she might one day join the cast of another city, saying "I know Beverly Hills comes up a lot for me." Still, she says that for right now, she needs time off from the show. Cynthia says that she needs time to focus on some "other things" that she has going on, though it is unclear whether or not she is referring to her marriage or if she has other projects on the horizon.

While Cynthia had previously fought rumors that the reason she was leaving the show was because her current husband was asking her to, he did play a role in her final decision; though not in the way fans had suspected. Considering the fact that Cynthia has had to defend her marriage just upon announcing her departure from The Real Housewives of Atlanta, it makes sense that she might want to keep her marriage off-screen for the time being. If there's one thing that the Real Housewives franchise has plenty of, it's drama, and that's definitely not something that goes well with a new marriage.

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Source: Page Six