Mia Thornton Leaves Real Housewives of Potomac Season 9 Amid Criticism She’s a ‘Perverted Horrible Mom’

“I’m leaving,” the Bravo star told producers before walking out on filmingDave Quinn is a Senior Editor for PEOPLE. He has been working at the brand since 2016, and is the author of the No. 1 New York Times best-selling book, Not All Diamonds and Rosé: The Inside Story of the Real Housewives from the People Who Lived It.

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Published on March 2, 2025 08:30PM EST

Wendy Osefo, Mia Thornton
Wendy Osefo and Mia Thornton on the ‘Real Housewives of Potomac’ season 9 reunion. Photo: Clifton Prescod/Bravo
Housewives have walked-off reunion sets before, but Mia Thornton made history on the Real Housewives of Potomac season 9 reunion when she became the first to not return for the rest of filming.

The reality star exited the taping of the annual season wrap-up, storming off set after costar Gizelle Bryant told her she was a “terrible mother.”

It was an accusation that came after Mia — who shares Jeremiah, 9, Juliana, 7, with estranged husband Gordon Thornton, as well as a teenage son Joshua from a previous relationship — had questioned whether her ex-boyfriend Incognito was actually her youngest son’s biological father.

A DNA test later proved Jeremiah was Gordon’s, but the storyline still put Mia in the critical eye of her castmates. And if that weren’t enough, in an effort to defend herself, Mia made the mistake of criticizing Gizelle’s kids, putting the Reasonably Shady podcast host on the attack.

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Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby at Real Housewives of Potomac Reunion
Gizelle Bryant and Ashley Darby on the ‘Real Housewives of Potomac’ season 9 reunion. Clifton Prescod/Bravo
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“I actually apologized to [Gizelle],” Mia said, as the feud was recounted in the final moments of the second installment of the three-part reunion that aired Feb. 23. “[She was] saying I was a terrible mother!”

“You have acted like that this season! A terrible mother!” Gizelle said. “And I stand by that. No woman, no mother, would put their child on a platform to discuss their paternity. No mother would do that. No mother!”

But before Gizelle could even finish talking, Mia was off the reunion couch. “That’s my… that’s it,” she said, leaving the stage. “Not my kids!”

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Real Housewives of Potomac Season 9 Reunion
Mia Thornton and Andy Cohen in the ‘Real Housewives of Potomac’ season 9 reunion. Clifton Prescod/Bravo
Viewers wondered whether Mia would return, but when part 3 began airing on Sunday, March 2, it became clear she was done for the day.

Asked by a producer if she was taking a break, Mia said, “No, I’m leaving.”

“Not my kids,” she repeated. “I should have never put myself in the position to have anybody question my motherhood.”

Cameras then kept filming Mia as she moved about her dressing room, stepping into the bathroom to change out of her bedazzled, feathered white gown before walking about the studio’s back hallways in tears.

“How do I get out of here?” she asked, while being escorted by a friend and wiping away tears. She was then shown getting into a black car and being driven away.

Real Housewives of Potomac Season 9 Reunion
‘Real Housewives of Potomac’ season 9 reunion. Jocelyn Prescod/Bravo
Mia’s exit is not necessarily surprising, considering she was in the hot seat for the bulk of the reunion, the women — including Ashley Darby, Dr. Wendy Osefo and Keiarna Stewart — grilled her about supposed lies she told all season.

She had tried to flee once, too, telling producers at the end of the first part of the reunion that aired on Feb. 16 that she was “leaving” the filming. “I can’t do it anymore,” she said, sobbing in her dressing room after costar Stacey Rusch refused to accept Mia’s apology for ditching Stacey and Jassi Rideaux during an off-camera trip to Miami.

“I’ve been a terrible friend and I know that,” Mia said. “If I wasn’t in the final weeks of my divorce, I probably wouldn’t be this emotional.”

Host Andy Cohen stepped in then. “There’s nothing worse than a shame spiral and I feel like you’re in one. Give yourself a little bit of grace, okay?” he assured Mia, during part 2 of the reunion. “You’re beating yourself up. You feel bad. You’ve owned it. Give yourself a break. … The fact that you feel ashamed means you’re a good person that we know you are.”

Mia Thornton
Mia Thornton on the ‘Real Housewives of Potomac’ season 9 reunion. Clifton Prescod/Bravo
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But Mia’s costars weren’t nearly as gracious as Andy was when she walked out for the final time.

“The truth hurts, I guess,” Ashley quipped, while Dr. Wendy criticized Mia for “doing s— and not being able to be accountable for [her] s—.”

“I think it’s wack,” noted Gizelle. “We all have done nonsense, craziness. You come to reunion and you deal with it. … Not only do you run out, you run out the building?”

“Bitch, please,” she said.

All seasons of The Real Housewives of Potomac can be streamed on Peacock.