Husband of former RHOA star has died following battle with cancer

ATLANTA — Gregg Leakes, husband of former Real Housewives of Atlanta star NeNe Leakes, has died following a battle with colon cancer.

“Today the Leakes family is in deep pain with a broken heart. After a long battle with cancer, Gregg Leakes has passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by all of his children, very close loved ones and wife Nene Leakes,” publicist and family friend Ernest Dukes said in a statement on Wednesday to Entertainment Tonight. “We ask that you pray for peace and strength over their family & allow them to mourn in private during this very, very difficult time.”

Over the weekend, NeNe Leakes was at her Duluth lounge, The Linnethia, and told guests that her husband was “transitioning to the other side.”

Gregg Leakes was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2018 but went into remission after treatment. In June, NeNe Leakes shared that the cancer had returned and he had undergone surgery.

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“He’s super small,” she said at the time. “If you’ve ever been around somebody who’s had cancer before, he’s different. He’s different.”

The couple initially wed in 1997. Following their separation in 2010 and subsequent divorce, the pair remarried in 2013.

NeNe Leakes was a main cast member of the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” crew during the first 10 seasons of the series, Variety reported. Gregg Leakes appeared alongside her in more than 80 episodes of the reality show, according to the website.

Andy Cohen, executive producer of the “Real Housewives” franchise, paid tribute to Gregg Leakes on Twitter, writing, “I am heartbroken over the passing of Gregg Leakes, a wonderful man. I jokingly called him ‘Pastor Leakes’ but in truth he was a strong voice of reason and commanded great respect among the ‘RHOA’ team. I am sending love and strength to NeNe Leakes and the entire Leakes family.”

Gregg Leakes was 66.

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