ShereƩ Whitfield is sharing a hopeful update about her good pal Kim Zolciak as she navigates a messy divorce from estranged husband Kroy Biermann.
āSheās dealing with a lot. She has a lot of kids and is just really trying to be strong for the kids,ā the āReal Housewives of Atlantaā star, 53, says of her former castmate on an upcoming episode of Page Sixās āVirtual Reali-Teaā podcast.
āBut at the same time, youāre going through so much. And I was there with her,ā she continues, acknowledging her own public divorce from Bob Whitfield in 2007.
āIāve done it before. Itās not fun and itās not easy.ā
Biermann, 37, filed for divorce from Zolciak on May 5 after 11 years of marriage.
They share six kids: Kroy Jagger, 11, Kash, 10, and 9-year-old twins Kane and Kaia, plus Zolciakās eldest daughters, Brielle, 26, and Ariana Biermann, 21, whom the former athlete adopted as minors.
A source told Page Six at the time that Zolciak wanted to divorce Kroy āmonthsā prior, but he beat her to the courthouse.
ShereĆ© ā who served as a bridesmaid to Zolciak in her Nov. 11, 2011, televised wedding to the retired NFL player ā tells us that she never thought the pair would part ways.
āI didnāt see it coming. I absolutely did not see it coming. I imagined Kim and Kroy old and [having] grandkids and never breaking up,ā she explains.Ā
āI donāt think anyone saw that coming. They just seemed like the perfect couple, so I have talked to her and I know sheās going through it. Itās a tough time, especially when itās so much and being public. Itās hard.ā
News of Zolciak and Kroyās separation came on May 8, mere hours after TMZ reported that they owe the IRS more than $1 million.
Insiders previously told Page Six that tension had been mounting for some time as the duo ā who previously fronted their own Bravo reality show, āDonāt Be Tardyā ā allegedly dealt with more financial hardships behind closed doors.
In the wake of their breakup, Kroy has accused Zolciak of having a āgambling problemā and āspending substantial time and marital fundsā on her alleged hobby.
Kroy also alleged in a police report that she punched him in the back of the head during a heated altercation last month. However, he did not have visible injuries and declined medical attention. He declined to press charges.
Zolciak subsequently shared a cryptic post about manipulative people with ātoxicā qualities.
āManipulation is when they blame you for your reaction to their toxic behavior,ā the quote, which she posted to her Instagram Stories on May 24, read, ābut never discuss their disrespect that triggered you.ā
Adding to their present discord, Zolciak and Kroy have each requested sole legal and physical custody of their children.
On Friday, the āTardy for the Partyā singer seemingly relayed to fans that sheās ready to move on by dropping āBiermannā from her Instagram handle.
Still, ShereƩ teases that it may not be over for Zolciak and Kroy.
āJust because you filed ā because we ā¦ saw the love they had for each other ā that doesnāt mean that itās over,ā she explains. āI donāt know if theyāve had counseling. I donāt know how far theyāve gone. I just donāt want to see it over for them two.ā
ShereĆ© ā who is currently romantically attached to āLove & Marriage: Hunstvilleā hunk Martell Holt ā adds, āI think sometimes you can work through it.ā
As Zolciakās divorce rages on in the public eye, āRHOAā viewers are anticipating her upcoming cameo in Season 15. She left the hit Bravo reality show after five consecutive seasons in 2012.
āWe always have a good time,ā ShereĆ© teases. āI canāt say too much, but youāll see fun Kim!ā
In the midst of filming her unscripted family series from 2012 until 2020, Zolciak returned as a āfriend of the Housewivesā in āAtlantaā Season 10 ā during which she memorably sparred with mainstays NeNe Leakes and Kandi Burruss.
According to ShereĆ©, itās time for Zolciak to reclaim her pitch. āWe all know Kim Zolciak is good TV,ā she asserts.
āThe Real Housewives of Atlantaā airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.