Porsha Williams is returning to ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta.’ How much do you know about the veteran housewife?

Porsha Williams will return to “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” when season 16 premieres on Sunday.

A lot has changed for Williams since she was last in the mix with the rest of the cast. Frankly, even the cast itself has undergone some turnover since she left. This season will also feature veterans Drew Sidora, Phaedra Parks, and Cynthia Bailey, who will be joined by first-timer main cast members Shamea Morton, Brittani Eady, Kelli Ferrell, and Angela Oakley. 

It was announced in February 2024 that Williams would be returning after three seasons away. Williams, who made her debut on the series in 2012 during season 5, has been the source of some of pop culture’s biggest moments. From some of the most unforgettable moments in the franchise’s history to memes still in wide circulation to expressions that have entered the lexicon (“Bye ashy!”), Williams is an icon of reality TV and a fan favorite.

News of her return arrives, in true Housewife fashion, amid many different reports circulating about her. We decided now was a great time for a refresher on Williams.

Porsha Williams is more than a reality TV star

Williams’ claim to fame may be starring on Bravo’s #1 Real Housewives franchise for nine seasons, however, the mother, activist, and entrepreneur was also the host of the talk show “Dish Nation” from 2013 through 2021. She is the founder of both a luxury sheet line, Pampered by Porsha, and a high-end hair extension brand, Go Naked Hair. Like many a fellow Housewife, she’s also dabbled in singing and acting.

Beyond “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” Williams has also starred in multiple spin-offs, including “Porsha’s Family Matters” and “Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip.” She has also starred in multiple seasons of “The Celebrity Apprentice.” 

Her family has a legacy of fighting for Civil Rights

Williams has shared the legacy of Civil Rights activism in her family. Her grandfather was Civil Rights leader Hosea Williams, who was among Martin Luther King Jr.’s inner circle.

In the wake of the killings of both George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in 2020, Williams took to the streets to protest police brutality and the continued senseless killing of Black people, even taking on tear gas during one protest. She was among protesters arrested at least twice in Louisville, Kentucky, while protesting the death of Taylor.

“The Real Housewives of Atlanta” was not her reality TV debut

“The Real Housewives of Atlanta” was not Williams’ first reality TV rodeo. In 2011, her wedding to football player Kordell Stewart was filmed for the WE TV series “Platinum Weddings.” Shortly after, it was announced that she would be joining the “RHOA” cast in 2012.

She’s been married twice

Williams has been married twice. The first was to Stewart when she was 24. They divorced in 2013 after two years of marriage, and the decline of their relationship was captured in the sixth season of “RHOA.”

After her marriage to Stewart ended, Williams welcomed her first and only child, a daughter, Pilar, 5, with Atlanta businessman Dennis McKinley. Despite attempts to make their family work, the couple eventually ended things in 2019.

In November 2022, Williams married notorious businessman Simon Guobadia. News of their coupling caused quite a stir because many viewers first met Guobadia when he appeared on season 13 of “RHOA,” married to former cast member Falynn Pina.

After 15 months of marriage together, Williams filed for divorce from Guobadia in February 2024. The two quickly became embroiled in a bitter and contentious divorce battle surrounding the validity of their prenuptial agreement. He also sued Williams for defamation in November 2024.

Simon Guobadia’s ICE detention explained

Since their split, Guobadia’s luck has not improved. The businessman, originally from Nigeria, was detained by ICE on February 21 after a failed citizenship bid and is being held at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia.

Addressing the news in a post on Instagram, Williams wrote, per People magazine, “It’s disheartening to see my estranged husband make choices that have led to this outcome. At this moment, my priority is moving forward with my family.”

Why she left “RHOA,” and why she’s returning now

In an interview with People magazine in 2023, the reality TV figure explained she was reckoning with who she was upon turning 40.

“I was turning 40, I was hitting my 10-year mark on the show, and I really just had to reassess where I was and what I wanted totally out of my life,” told the outlet.

She’s returning now because after settling into her marriage with Guobadia and balancing life and motherhood, she felt ready to rejoin the cast. During a recent appearance on “The View,” the Bravo star admitted she wasn’t expecting her return season to capture a divorce narrative.

“Things got turned upside down, but in true fashion for me, my life happens on camera. I’m just transparent,” she said.