‘RHONJ’: Jackie Goldschneider Says She’s Returning as ‘Friend to the Show’ to Focus on Managing Her Eating Disorder
The Real Housewives of New Jersey cast has endured severe ups and downs, including divorces, family feuds, and even prison sentences. But Jackie Goldschneider opening up about her eating disorder generated another discussion that hadn’t been showcased on Bravo before. Since being in active treatment again, Goldschneider revealed that she took on a lesser role on the show to focus on her recovery.
Jackie Goldschneider opens up about her eating disorder
By the time Goldschneider began appearing on RHONJ, she’d already been battling her eating disorder for over 20 years. The former lawyer-turned-journalist disclosed her condition to viewers on the show, noting that her unhealthy relationship with food began when she was in high school. She grew up slightly more overweight than her peers and lost weight in high school, leading her down a dangerous path to keep her weight down.
It wasn’t until she met her husband Evan that she began to take her recovery seriously in her adulthood, but it was an uphill battle. In Season 12, Goldschneider revealed that she’d never eaten ice cream with her children, and kept her weight at a certain range by eating the same meals almost daily to avoid gaining weight.
But as the season progressed, she realized her health was in jeopardy. A therapist suggested she enter into inpatient treatment, but she wasn’t ready and opted to do an outpatient program. At the reunion, she revealed that she was in active treatment for the first time in over a decade.
She says she took a step back as a full-time cast member to focus on her health
Speculation about Goldschneider’s role on the show began shortly after the Season 13 reunion special aired. At the time, she wouldn’t confirm whether or not she was returning to a full-time role, but she did note that she was filming amid rumors she was being demoted. In a new interview with PEOPLE, she explains that it was her decision to take on a lesser role so that she could focus on her recovery efforts.
“When Bravo approached me about casting for season 13, I obviously was very excited to be a part of the show again because I love the show,” she told the media outlet. “But my recovery was not in the place that I expected it to be. It was moving very slowly. I was still being triggered by stress and I still needed a lot of intense therapy.”
She had no issue with expressing her concerns to the network executives. “I just wasn’t sure how to balance the time commitment for the show with my recovery,” she added. Luckily, they were understanding and willing to work under her terms.
“They were so supportive,” she said. “And even though that was a really tough pill to swallow, and it was hard for me to step back a little bit after having been such a big part of the show for so many years, I really knew that that was probably the best solution.”
What to expect in Season 13
Goldschneider is back, and she’s enthralled in the drama, despite not being in a full-time role. Whether her eating disorder recovery journey will be shown is unknown as it’s not shown in the trailer. Two new housewives appear to go at it with Teresa Giudice. Giudice’s wedding plans are a major focus, as well as her fallout with her brother and sister-in-law, Joe and Melissa Gorga. Dolores Catania has a new man threatening her close relationship with her ex-husband, Frank. And Jennifer Aydin and Margaret Josephs’ feud continues.
