‘RHONJ’ Star Melissa Gorga Is 'Struggling' In Marriage, Offers Baby Update

Twitter | Melissa Gorga

Melissa Gorga and husband Joe Gorga will be seen going through a rocky season of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” in the coming episodes of season 11.

Ahead of Wednesday night’s premiere of the new episodes, Melissa appeared on “The Wendy Williams Show,” where she admitted that she and Joe were “struggling” in their marriage amid production in 2020 before revealing if she’d quit the show to save her marriage, and offering an update on her previous plan to potentially welcome a fourth child with her spouse.

“I’m going to say this. I don’t know if it was the completely just the quarantine and the pandemic that contributed to so many of the [issues], to be honest with you, between the spouses this season,” Melissa told Wendy, via YouTube. 

“Joe and I have been struggling lately. He doesn’t like a lot of change. I think we all know this about him. Over the last year and a half to two years, we’ve definitely been struggling more than we ever have,” Melissa continued. 

Because Melissa is so strong-willed and has her own life and goals outside of her marriage, she and Joe have been known to butt heads. However, as Melissa explained, she is proud to say that her relationship with Joe is the longest-running marriage of the entire “Real Housewives” franchise.

“That said, we are the longest-standing Housewives couple on reality TV that have made it 11 years on reality TV doing what we do, really fighting to keep it together and have the marriage that we have,” she shared. “Marriage is not easy. It’s work and we’re working really hard to keep it together because I don’t ever want to [say], ‘It failed.’”

When Wendy wanted to know if Melissa would ever leave “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” to save her marriage, if it came to that, Melissa said that it is not the show that causes friction between her and Joe. Instead, it’s her duties outside of the Bravo reality series.

“It’s not the filming that is our problem. It’s not me going to film and be on this show. It’s the extra,” she revealed. “It’s the fashion events. It’s me being called out for Envy. I travel a little bit with that. It’s not the show. That’s what started it and that’s my stepping stone to my independence. Joe just wants me to be 25.”

While Melissa and Joe were seen considering expanding their family on “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” season 10, Melissa told Wendy last week that she ultimately decided that her family is complete with just three kids.

“I think that ship has sailed,” she said. “I was like 38, 39 when that was happening and I was like… I didn’t want to let go. It almost felt like I was letting go of my youth not to have toddlers running around and babies. I was like, ‘It’s now or never because I really don’t want to get pregnant after I’m 40.’ I think I’m good. I’m happy. I have three healthy kids. I’m so busy.”

Also during her chat with Wendy, Melissa said her husband Joe is not “crooked” in business, as rumors suggested many months ago. 

“He’s good,” she confirmed.

To see more of Melissa, Joe, and their cast mates, don’t miss the premiere of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” season 11 tonight, Wednesday, February 17, at 9/8c on Bravo.