Is Naomie Olindo Returning to ‘Southern Charm’? Here Are Some Pros And Cons

Could Naomie Olindo be returning to Southern Charm? The internet sure hopes so!

Our pals at Best of Bravo have reported this week that Season 8 of Southern Charm has finally begun filming in Charleston, South Carolina, and with a few new faces in the mix as well. The entire Season 7 cast is expected to return, along with Venita Aspen, who we got to know last season, Kathryn’s boyfriend Chleb Ravenell, Shep’s cousin Marcie Hobbs, and new pal Olivia Flowers. But the real excitement came yesterday when the Instagram account posted a picture of Naomie, declaring it “Signed, sealed, delivered,” that she would be returning for the new season. However, let’s proceed with a little bit of caution here.

While Naomie’s latest Instagram posts confirm she is indeed in Charleston, after what was likely a final trip to New York City to collect her belongings after breaking up with ex-boyfriend Metul Shah at the beginning of the summer, she has not yet confirmed the news. We’ve also reached out to Bravo, but they typically do not comment on casting until closer to the season premiere — which, in this case, would be the spring.

Naomie was not a part of Season 7, leaving the Bravo series for a few reasons: one was to keep her relationship with Shah private at the time, and two, out of what seemed like solidarity with Cameran Eubanks and Chelsea Meissner, who left the show after allegedly feeling a bit icky about the upcoming storylines. She seemed more than comfortable with that decision as she focused on her fashion business, L’Abeye, and navigated her own personal matters off camera.

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So…does she really want to return? It’s obvious producers would want her to, and the show is great exposure for the aforementioned business — and there are many other pros to her return as well. Naomie is generally incredibly likable and viewers enjoy watching her and her life, which also includes some of the cutest animals we’ve ever seen on the show (no, not the guys). If she is willing to open up about her breakup, it would be one of the most relatable storylines the show has had in years. From her Instagram alone, Naomie has often commented on how much the messages mean to her and vice versa to the followers also going through heartbreaking times. Naomie has often served as a voice of reason on this show, calling out sexist behavior, making appropriately snarky comments, and often saying what so many at home are thinking. She ultimately only adds to the mix of the show — she’s never derailing it or forcing drama, but instead remains one of the most authentic voices in the bunch.

Which brings us to the con part of this news. Dear god, do not try to make a Craig and Naomie romance rekindling happen. Sure, they seemed to have a nice relationship, but that was several years ago at this point. Craig is now, reportedly, casually, dating his Winter House co-star Paige DeSorbo, and it would be a thousand times more interesting to watch Naomie not only recover from her previous relationship but test the waters with hunky new men — and maybe lots of them! She has so much more to offer this show than rehashing things with an ex. Even Craig, with his new Sewing Down South store and upcoming book, has many other interesting things going on in his life. The two could be great friends and support systems for each other but we absolutely do not need more than that, especially if it’s just not naturally there.

If Naomie is indeed returning to the Southern Charm circus, hopefully she has felt the love and support from most viewers who admire her, welcome her, and are excited to get a peek into her fabulous life again.

Stream Southern Charm on Peacock