Andy Cohen denies producers orchestrated 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' drama, talks season 10
Cohen said none of the women want to film with Phaedra Parks.
— -- Andy Cohen is pushing back against rumors that producers of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" set up Phaedra Parks during the series' jaw-dropping season 9 finale.
In the final installment of the four-part finale, Parks, 43, finally admitted that she was the one who spread rumors about Kandi Burruss, claiming that the R&B singer along with her husband, Todd Tucker, tried to drug fellow housewife Porsha Williams for a tryst.
Parks, a lawyer and mother of two boys, maintained, however, during the reunion episode that she was only repeating the salacious rumors.
Later, rumors swirled that Parks tried to point the blame at producers for manufacturing drama for TV.
Cohen, an executive producer on the series, said on Friday's Breakfast Club that he was "very surprised that Phaedra said this came from me."
He continued that he also doesn't believe any other producer on the series told Parks to spread the rumor.
"You can't tell them, 'Oh, go say this on camera.' It just doesn't work," Cohen, 48, explained. "Have you ever met a 'Real Housewife?' They do their own thing. That's why we hire them!"
So, is Parks returning for "Real Housewives of Atlanta" season 10?
Cohen said the decision is honestly still up in the air, but it's not looking good for Parks.
"We're looking at next season and you have to look at where we left off, which is none of the women want to engage with her," he explained. "That's a tough place to come back from ... If it's five against one, it's also not fair to the one. It's really not."
And those rumors about former stars NeNe Leakes and Kim Zolciak returning may be premature as well.
"There's a lot of rumors about season 10, and the answer is ... we haven't started shooting," Cohen said. "We will let you know as soon as it happens."
In other words, watch what happens.