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Is Ronnie Ortiz-Magro Back on ‘Jersey Shore’ Amid His Ex Sammi ‘Sweetheart’ Giancola’s Return?
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. Things certainly haven’t been easy for Ronnie and his costars, and viewers are clinging on to hope that things will smooth over between all the Jersey Shore favorites.
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.
“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 Ronni Back On ‘Jersey Shore’?
Sammi announced her return to the Jersey Shore 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 episode of the series.
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 cast mates when he was spotted in at the Margaritaville Resort in Orlando, Florida, according to photos obtained by TMZ. Prior to his spotting, Vinny, Sammi and Deena were spotted in the lobby of the same hotel.
During the midseason premiere of season 6, 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.
Previously, it was hinted by Nicole Polizzi, a.k.a. Snooki, that Ronnie was the reason Sam would not return.
“All of us girls texted her like, ‘Listen! Ronnie isn’t on the show right now. You should definitely come on even if it’s just a girls’ dinner — just with us and catch up,’” Snooki told Danny Pellegrino on his “Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino” podcast in January 2022. “She’s just like, ‘No. I’m good.’ She wants nothing to do with the show.”
What Happened Between Ronnie and the ‘Jersey Shore’ Cast?
Ronnie eventually made it back to the screen in October, 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.
“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.”
After taking further responsibility, Ronnie opened up the floor to his costars.
Have ‘Jersey Shore’ Exes Ronni and Sammi Made Up?
Amid Ronni’s return to the screen, he and Sammi were spotted walking together in Tucson, Arizona. Sammi was walking with her boyfriend, while Ronnie was several spots behind them. Even seeing them in the same vicinity was a blast from the 2010s past.
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