‘Married to Medicine’ Star Sweet Tea Says Her and Dr. Contessa Have a Real Friendship (EXCLUSIVE)

Friendship can be complicated for most adult women, but it can be increasingly difficult in Married to Medicine. Fans of the Bravo show know the cast has been known to clique up, with the "core four" — Dr. Jackie Walters, Dr. Heavenly Kimes, Dr. Simone Whitmore, and Toya Bush-Harris — leading the charge.

However, in Season 11, a new friend duo ruffles a few feathers.

Lateasha "Sweet Tea" Lunceford returns for her second season as Dr. Gregory Lunceford's wife, following his 2018 divorce from Quad Webb. She brings added support, including Dr. Contessa Metcalfe, who is back after a four-season break.

Sweet Tea and Contessa's friendship has caused so much friction that fans and their co-stars, have wondered if it's real. In an exclusive interview with Distractify, Sweet Tea spills her tea about their "real friendship."

Sweet Tea told Distractify that her and Dr. Contessa's friendship stretches beyond Bravo's cameras. The military pharmacy technician also said the comments about their friendship likely came from her less-friendly castmates.

"I think that's just a narrative that people within the group, some of the OGS, put out there, maybe to cover up for their own mess," Sweet Tea said. "Contessa and I have a real relationship."

Sweet Tea said she and Contessa connected before Contessa's return in Season 11. Contessa left the show before Season 10 aired, after four seasons. She had conflicts with Heavenly, who accused Scott Metcalfe of infidelity and called their marriage "fake" on her YouTube channel.

Heavenly and Contessa's relationship worsened when she returned to the show. During a girls' trip to Orlando, Fla., the former friends had an intense fallout after Heavenly said mid-argument, "Yo Mama." Contessa, whose mother died from breast cancer in 2010, immediately took offense and told her co-star to "square up, h-!"

Sweet Tea recognizes a "trauma bond" with Contessa over their issues with Heavenly, but they're also connected through their husbands' friendship. Contessa and Scott attended Sweet Tea's November 2023 wedding, and Sweet Tea stated that their mutual respect is why she defends Contessa.

"I empathize with what Contessa has gone through," Sweet Tea explained. "I see that some people within the group of ladies gaslight her. And I'm one of those people like, when I love you, I love you. I go hard for you. And I go hard for who goes for me. So, Contessa, that's my girl."

Sweet Tea reintroduced Dr. Contessa and introduced Dr. Mimi Sanders, who first appeared at Dr. Jackie Walters's Med Gala in Season 11. Fans also saw her during a group dinner and the trip to Key West.

Sweet Tea was excited to bring a Dr. Mimi and her husband, Steve Sanders, into the group for various reasons, including being in her age group. Dr. Mimi also impressed the group by sharing that she's a psychiatrist, the same profession as Dr. G.

While Mimi came on the show through Sweet Tea, the sophomore Bravo star didn't give her friend any biased take before she went on the show. However, now that she knows how the ladies roll, she said her friend still needs to decide if she's a good fit.

"I think Mimi is still trying to figure out things for herself," she said of her friend. "Coming into the group, I told her, you know, I don't want to cloud your mind, and I don't want to give you any preconceived notions about everyone. I want you to get to know them for the for yourself."

"I think that she's still trying to figure out how to get through this?" she added. "I'm like, You're the professional. You're the doctor. You tell me."

Catch new episodes of Married to Medicine on Sundays at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo.