Kim Zolciak Heads To MTV Amid Messy Kroy Biermann Divorce & Financial Woes
Kim Zolciak is back. Sort of. The former "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star is returning to television, though it won't be on Bravo. According to TMZ, Zolciak is part of the cast who will appear on the eighth season of "The Surreal Life," which is being revived by MTV.
Zolciak is already in Colombia to film alongside her co-stars, who include Josie Canseco, Chet Hanks, and Johnny Weir, to name a few. "The Surreal Life" is sort of like MTV's "The Real World" but with a group of celebrities put in a house together where they partake in various activities, form friendships, and go through plenty of drama as they navigate the new living dynamic.
This is somewhat of a big move for Zolciak, who is going through a nasty divorce with her ex, Kroy Biermann. Back in May, TMZ reported that Zolciak filed for divorce from Biermann after 11 years of marriage. Neither Zolciak nor Biermann released a statement on the report, but both made some significant social media changes. For example, Zolciak removed Biermann's last name from her Instagram bio and deleted a majority of the photos they had together from her feed.
Then, in July, the duo called off their divorce, per Us Weekly, and appeared to be working on things. Heck, Zolciak even put Biermann's last name back on her IG bio. Unfortunately, however, that didn't last.
Kroy Biermann filed for divorce a second time
In August, E! News confirmed that Kroy Biermann had filed new divorce papers in a court in Atlanta, citing that his marriage to Kim Zolciak was "irretrievably broken." Biermann is also seeking sole legal and physical custody of the couple's four children who are under the age of 18 (Biermann previously adopted Zolciak's two older daughters, Ariana and Brielle).
Interestingly, Zolciak has still not confirmed that her marriage is ending. In fact, she's posted quite the opposite. "I'm living here not going anywhere! Been working on our marriage and have been living as husband and wife. The lies daily are too much," she wrote on her Instagram Stories, per Page Six.
And while all of that has been going on behind the scenes, Zolciak has actually been teasing a return to television; however, up until Sept. 13, 2023, fans were unsure what capacity that would be in. On June 8, 2023, Zolciak announced her return to RHOA, though she ended up only making a guest appearance on season 15. "See you soon," she captioned an Instagram post.
On June 22, 2023, she took to Instagram to share a photo alongside television producer Troy VanderHeyden. "Making moves," her caption read, in part, and she included the video camera emoji.
Kim Zolciak's family had their own reality TV spinoff
Kim Zolciak is no stranger to reality television, no matter which way you slice it. She first joined "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" in 2008 and was an OG of the franchise.
In 2011, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Zolciak had landed her own spinoff that followed the ins and outs of her wedding to Kroy Biermann. The series was aptly titled "Don't Be Tardy to the Wedding," a nod to her music single, "Tardy for the Party," which was released in 2010. "I am so excited to give an up close and personal look at the next chapter in my life. My life has turned into a true Cinderella story and to watch the pieces unfold is going to be great! I can't wait to share with all of you," Zolciak said at the time.
Following the positive reception of the show, Bravo ended up offering Zolciak and Biermann their own show, "Don't Be Tardy." The show was on the air for eight seasons before it was canceled. "We have enjoyed watching the incredible journey of Kim, Kroy, and their entire family who grew up right before our eyes. We are so thankful to have had the opportunity to share their life and all the touching moments with our audience," a spokesperson for Bravo told Us Weekly regarding the show's cancelation, adding that the couple were welcome personalities on the channel.
Will Kim Zolciak talk about her marital troubles on The Surreal Life?
The timing of this new reality television show gig is interesting for Kim Zolciak, who really hasn't publicly commented on the state of her marriage outside of addressing the apparent "lies" in the media. Being on "The Surreal Life" could give Zolciak a place to talk about what's going on in her personal life, and she may end up opening up about her split from Kroy Biermann, especially if she finds someone to confide in at the house.
Zolciak and Biermann met at a charity event during the third season of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," according to E! News. Their relationship was like lightning in a bottle and the two couldn't deny their chemistry. The two would go on to get married and have four children — Kroy Biermann Jr., Kash Biermann, and twins Kaia Biermann and Kane Biermann.
"If you're asking for a secret [to our relationship], lots of sex," Zolciak told the outlet in November. "I think one of the biggest secrets is also communication. Choosing to love that person day in and day out, I think it's a choice, and a lot of times people are just so quick to throw in the towel," she added. We'll have to wait and see what Zolciak reveals on "The Surreal Life."