As the photos and trailer is released for Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Atlanta is released, many couldn’t help but think about how NeNe Leakes is doing as this is her first season not being on the show.

Cynthia Bailey Talks NeNe Leakes, Confirms Sheree Whitfield Is Returning

Leakes is the longest running cast member on the series after being the only original star left when she walked away from the season earlier this summer. Now that the new cast has been released as well as a first official look, some fans are still eyeing Leakes to see what she thinks about it all.

She revealed to CBS News recently that she is “happier” since leaving the popular show.

WATCH: What Happened?! Kim Zolciak Calls NeNe Leakes ‘Evil’

“When you work in a lot of negativity, it becomes a part of who you are and I feel like I’m getting to me, myself and I. It’s happy and free. It’s been a refreshing time away from the girls. I’ve done [the show] every season for eight years so I really needed to have a break. I’m not saying I would never go back, but it was good to step away.”

While we didn’t find out about her exit until this summer, Leakes said it was a long time coming.

“The whole time I was doing season 7, I was just dying. I was like, ‘I can’t take it anymore. To me, when I really, really was like ‘this is it’ was when I walked into scenes and the girls would just focus on me as if they wanted to argue with me.”

See how the show is doing sans Leakes when it returns to Bravo November 8.

Also keep up with Enstarz for more on the cast news and spoilers.

Tags: The Real Housewives of Atlanta Reality TV Bravo