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When Monique Samuels and Candiace Dillard came to blows during The Real Housewives of Potomac season 5, many fans, and Karen Huger, noted Gizelle Bryant might have wanted the fight to happen because she pushed Samuels shortly before the ladies began fighting. However, Bryant denies instigating the altercation. 

Gizelle Bryant, Karen Huger, Monique Samuels, Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Potomac"
Gizelle Bryant, Karen Huger, Monique Samuels, Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Potomac” | Evans Vestal Ward

Gizelle Bryant sided with Candiace Dillard following physical altercation

A celebration for an award Gizelle Bryant won quickly soured when former close friends Monique Samuels and Candiace Dillard came to blows.

The ladies got into a heated exchange, and Samuels grabbed Dillard’s hair, forced her to the table, and hit her ex-friend on the head several times until producers broke up the fight.

A week after the altercation, Samuels met with the housewives, excluding Dillard, and apologized for putting them in harm’s way. However, she admitted she didn’t feel remorse at the time and hadn’t spoken to Dillard.

Therefore, Bryant, who showed up to the meeting with a bodyguard, noted she felt unsafe around Samuels and didn’t want to hang out with her until she sought help. Additionally, the EveryHue owner frequently stood up for Dillard when the others spoke about the situation.

Many fans and Karen Huger thought Bryant pushed Monique Samuels

During the heated exchange that led up to the altercation, Samuels began flipping Dillard’s hair with the former Miss United States asking if she would “drag” her.

After Samuels touched Dillard, the other housewives tried to intervene when they saw it was getting physical. Wendy Osefo put her hand in the middle of the two while Bryant’s hand reached over and pushed Samuels’ shoulder.

Immediately following the push, the podcast host slammed Dillard’s head on the table and began hitting her. After it aired, many fans noticed Bryant pushing Samuels and wondered if she did it purposefully to cause the ladies to fight.

Karen Huger also thought the Green-Eyed Bandits might have had malicious intent by describing them as “gleeful” when the fight broke out.

Bryant denies pushing Samuels into the fight

After filming wrapped, the ladies gathered nearly a year later to discuss the season. Samuels explained the fight came from built-up frustration with Dillard for not telling her about an alleged “plot” for her former friend Gigi to get a spot on the show by spreading rumors about her family.

Samuels claims Dillard connected Gigi with Charrisse Jackson Jordan and says the ladies met with Robyn Dixon and Gizelle Bryant to figure out how they would introduce the storyline to the show.

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‘RHOP’: Karen Huger Clarifies Why She Refused To Pick a Side in Physical Altercation: ‘It Was a Consensual Fight’

Bryant denied the claims and insisted she never knew about a “plot” but stated the former friend had a history of telling Samuels’ business. Executive producer and reunion host Andy Cohen also asked if the OG housewife pushed Samuels into the fight as many believed.

Bryant denied it and insisted she never wanted the fight to happen. While she acknowledged pushing Samuels, the OG housewife described it as a “stop” and meant to prevent the altercation. The Real Housewives of Potomac airs Sundays at 9/8 Central on Bravo.

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