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Is Ronnie Ortiz-Magro Back on ‘Jersey Shore’? What We Know About His Return and Sammi Reunion
Now that Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola has returned to Jersey Shore, fans can’t help but wonder if her infamous ex, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, will also be making an appearance. Although things haven’t been easy between Ronnie and his costars, he returned to the show in 2023 and will reunite with Sammi during season 7.
When Did Ronnie Leave ‘Jersey Shore’?
The New York native was an original cast member of the hit MTV series. He appeared on all six seasons from 2009 to 2013 and returned for the Jersey Shore: Family Vacation reboot in 2018.
However, the MTV star announced his departure from the reality series in May 2021, just days after he was arrested on domestic violence charges.
“After talking to the team at MTV, we have mutually agreed that I will step away from the show while I seek medical treatment for mental health issues that I’ve ignored for too long,” the dad of one wrote via Instagram Stories on May 13, 2021. “My No. 1 goal now is facing my struggles head on. This process will be difficult, but my No. 1 priority is to get healthy and be the best man and the best father I can [be] for my daughter.”
The reality TV personality was arrested in Los Angeles in April 2021 before being released on a $100,000 bond. This came after Ronnie publicly battled various other legal issues.
“I am grateful for all of my real friends! Thank you for being by my [side] the last few week[s]. I take all experiences as lessons,” he shared following his release. “You learn who really cares about you when you’re down and out and [then] you see who doesn’t!”
Ronnie’s attorneys, Scott E. Leemon and Leonard Levine, later told Us Weekly that “the L.A. County District Attorney’s office and the L.A. City Attorney’s office determined that criminal charges were not warranted against Ronnie related to the incident that occurred in April.”
Is Ronnie Back On ‘Jersey Shore’?
Ronnie officially returned to Jersey Shore: Family Vacation in 2023. His appearance in season 6 was brief and came following Sammi’s return to the show.
Sammi announced her Jersey Shore comeback in March 2023, after previously declining the opportunity — claiming she was “at a completely different place” in her life. A week after her announcement, Ronnie made a surprise return to the series during the March 23, 2023, episode, which had been filmed months prior.
During his segment, Ronnie gave viewers a life update, revealing he relocated with his 5-year-old daughter, whom he has full custody over.
“I feel like I needed a change of scenery and just a change of pace in my life,” he detailed. “I’ve decided to move from Los Angeles to Miami and open up a new business. It’s a sneaker store called SneakerClinic.”
Days later, Ronnie continued to tease a possible return to the franchise after taking to Instagram with a cryptic post.
“Everybody loves a comeback,” he captioned a March 25 post, adding an eyes emoji.
Ronnie drew even more speculation of a possible return alongside his former castmates when he was spotted at the Margaritaville Resort in Orlando, Florida, according to photos obtained by TMZ. Prior to his spotting, Vinny Guadagnino, Sammi and Deena Cortese were spotted in the lobby of the same hotel.
During the midseason premiere of season 6 in 2023, Ronnie made an appearance on the show while talking to Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, telling his costar that he wanted to reunite with his former roommates.
What Happened Between Ronnie and the ‘Jersey Shore’ Cast?
Ronnie eventually made it back to the screen in October 2023, and his tearful reunion with the Jersey Shore cast after two years was nothing short of emotional.
“Right now, I just have to be honest and open my heart, and hopefully good things will happen,” Ronnie told the cameras, before making amends with his costars. He then reunited with the group, although Sammi decided to leave the premises when her ex arrived.
“Well obviously, I want to start by apologizing to you guys for my actions, for the things that I’ve done that have affected you,” Ronnie said to the group. “I’ve had a lot of time to reflect over the last two years. It’s been a long journey. I take a lot of responsibility for the things I’ve done, not only in the last two years, but in the past before that. It wasn’t the best version of me as a man, as a person, as a friend.”
He continued, “For a long time, I thought that I was just hurting myself with the things that I was doing. I’ve come to realize that I was really hurting everyone around me that I love. That’s not something that I want to do. I love you guys like brothers and sisters. You’re the closest thing I have besides my family. We’ve been through everything together, ups and downs and sideways and lefts and rights. I’ve missed a lot of you guys’ journey in the last two years.”
Will Ronnie and Sammi Reunite on ‘Jersey Shore’?
In November 2023, photos surfaced of Ronnie and Sammi filming scenes for Jersey Shore together in Tucson, Arizona. The images showed Sammi walking with her boyfriend, Justin May, with Ronnie several paces behind.
Ahead of the show’s season 7 premiere in February 2024, it was confirmed that the exes filmed together. Their first post-split reunion took place in Nashville, Tennessee. In a March 2024 episode, roommates asked Sammi if she would be OK with Ronnie joining them on the trip to Nashville and she assured everyone that she would figure out how to handle it. The episode featuring Ronnie’s arrival airs on April 11, 2024.
“I mean, nobody wants to work with an ex,” Sammi told The New York Post in February 2024. “Listen, I knew signing up again that he is a part of this too. And it’s kind of like … no … I don’t want to be working with this person. But at this point in my life, he doesn’t affect me and where I’m at in my own life. He’s just there doing his job as well. And if we can coexist and work together, that’s all I can ever ask for.”
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