Phaedra Parks is on ‘Married to Medicine’ After Being All but Shunned From ‘RHOA’ — Why?

The Gist:

• Phaedra Parks joined ‘Married to Medicine’ in Season 10, becoming one of the first housewives to star in another franchise
• Phaedra reportedly dated a doctor and expressed interest in running a holistic wellness center before joining ‘Married to Medicine’
• Phaedra has shared where she stands with her ‘RHOA’ co-stars after being fired from the series in 2017.

Longtime Real Housewives of Atlanta watchers have long made peace with the fact that Phaedra Parks might never get her peach back after being fired from the series in 2017 (at least, as long as Kandi Burruss continues her reign).

But, in 2023, Phaedra stunned Bravo fans by changing franchises as one of the newest cast members of another ATL-based show — Married to Medicine — along with fellow newbie Dr. Alicia Egolum.

On Married to Medicine, Phaedra brings some of the “Southern Belle” charm and shady confessional moments that her fans fell in love with on RHOA. However, some of her cast members are side-eyeing the attorney, mother, and entrepreneur for her past reality TV mistakes

So, why is Phaedra ready to dive into a new friend group’s mess? Here’s what we know about why she joined Married to Medicine.

If you’re a part of both the M2M and RHOA fandom, you’ve likely seen cast members from each show crossover on the other occasionally. Dr. Jackie Walters, specifically, has been Kandi Burruss and Sanya Richard-Ross’s OBGYN and has appeared on RHOA.

Quad Webb, another one of Married to Medicine’s OGs, has been on RHOA with Phaedra before and filmed a scene in Phaedra’s law office in an earlier season. Since then, Quad and Phaedra have remained close, and the connection drew Phaedra to Married to Medicine.

Before her Married to Medicine debut, Phaedra told BravoTV that the show seemed like a great fit since she’s been friends with Quad, Toya Bush-Harris, and some of her other castmates “for years.” Additionally, Phaedra said that, like several of the ladies, she’s involved with someone who is married to medicine — her doctor boo, “Dr. O.”

“That is also something I had in common with the ladies,” Phaedra said. “They’re married, but I snuggle up to a physician as well.”

While her co-stars are pleased with married life, Phaedra, who divorced her ex-husband and the father of her two children, Apollo Nida, in 2017, said on Married to Medicine that a second marriage wasn’t in her plans. The Ultimate Girls Trip alum also hinted to Page Six that she and Dr. O were no longer together.

Whether she’s “dating medicine” or not, Phaedra’s career objectives are also why she joined Married to Medicine. In addition to her many degrees and even more jobs, Phaedra decided to pivot into the holistic healing world, and according to M2M’s press release for the season, she “is ready to make her medicinal mark with a holistic wellness center."

Through her wellness center, Phaedra plans on adding “Holistic Healer'” to her resume and creating a space that offers reiki therapy, healing crystals, etc.

With Phaedra being back on Bravo fans’ TVs, many wonder if she’s remained in touch with the ladies from her previous show, RHOA.

As fans of the Housewives series know, Phaedra was fired in 2017 after she was revealed to be the person who spread the rumor that Kandi Burruss and her husband, Todd Tucker, intended to drug Porsha Williams and take her home with them. Phaedra also accused Todd of cheating on Kandi, stating he did so using a pseudonym, “Marvin,” which Todd denied.

Since being fired from RHOA, Kandi and Phaedra have never been able to mend their previous friendship. However, many other cast members, like Sheree Whitfield and Marlo Hampton, have remained in Phaedra’s life. While at BravoCon 2023, Phaedra told Access Hollywood that she, Sheree, and Marlo flew to the event together and saw one another often.

Phaedra and her former BFF, Porsha, have also posted one another on social media, though it’s unclear if they’ve returned to their frick and frack antics. And while Phaedra isn’t planning on filming with her friends again, she told People that being on Married to Medicine allows her to be around more “intelligent” girls who are less “cutthroat” and who have“careers and jobs” to lose.

“These girls are very intelligent, and they have careers and jobs," Phaedra said when asked about the differences between M2M and RHOA. “I've totally enjoyed the whole cast. They've been really great. Now, some of them are a little crazy. A few of them [are] a little messy. But you know, it's been good. I mean, it's a great combination."

Looks like Phaedra has found a new home on Married to Medicine! Catch her and the rest of the cast Sundays at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo.