IT'S A FALL FILLED WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS AND FRENEMIES WHEN BRAVO MEDIA'S "THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW JERSEY" RETURNS WITH A SUPERSIZED PREMIERE ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4 AT 9PM ET/PT

New Housewife Margaret Josephs Joins Returning Ladies Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga, Siggy Flicker and Dolores Catania

Take A Trip Down Memory Lane When "The Real Housewives of New Jersey How They Got Here" Airs Tonight at 9:30pm ET/PT

NEW YORK - August 22, 2017 - Everyone's favorite Garden State girls are back and better than ever when Bravo Media's "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" returns for season eight with a 75-minute supersized premiere on Wednesday, October 4 at 9pm ET/PT. Returning for another roller-coaster ride are Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga, Dolores Catania, and Siggy Flicker, who are joined by new housewife Margaret Josephs. When thrown into the Jersey scene, the self-proclaimed "powerhouse in pigtails" holds her own, even if that means clashing with some of the other women. Not to mention, the highly anticipated return of Danielle Staub (Seasons 1 & 2) shakes everything up this season when she comes back ready to reopen old wounds and reveal new secrets. For a sneak peek, please visit: http://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-new-jersey/season-8/videos/danielle-staub-is-back-and-bringing-the-drama

This season on "The Real Housewives of New Jersey," the women are faced with new trials and tribulations that test their close-knit friendships. In the midst of their newfound familial peace, Melissa is thrown a curve ball when Joe and Teresa decide to open a family restaurant without consulting her. Dolores has finally found the man of her dreams, but when her ex-husband asks to move back home, it jeopardizes her own romantic future. After finding overwhelming success with her book and speaking engagements, Siggy decides it's time to take her career to the next level. Ironically, this causes relationship issues of her own as her husband questions her commitment to work-life balance. Meanwhile, as Teresa comes to terms with life as a single parent with Joe in prison, her world becomes further fractured by the heartbreaking and sudden death of her mother. The dynamic of the group gets thrown off-course when Danielle Staub re-enters the picture after years of total absence, threatening a 20-year friendship between Teresa and Dolores. Tensions rise even more between Siggy and new housewife Margaret on a ladies trip to Boca, forcing all of the ladies to quickly choose sides. After years of rebuilding old relationships and establishing new ones, will these women rise above the obstacles thrown at their friendships, or will they realize that some bonds are, in fact, meant to be broken?

Don't miss tonight's opportunity to reminisce on seasons past with "The Real Housewives of New Jersey How They Got Here" half-hour special airing on Tuesday, August 22nd at 9:30PM ET/PT. Featuring the most memorable moments from seven seasons of drama, hijinks, family and friendships, go back to where it all began to relive the memories that had everyone flipping out. The trip down memory lane will include past family and friends - Dina, Caroline, Jacqueline, Kathy, Rosie and more. The special will also catch viewers up on where hot and cold in-laws Teresa and Melissa left things last season, as well as Siggy and Dolores's impact on the group.

Meet the new housewife:

Margaret Josephs

Margaret Josephs is instantly recognizable with her infectious smile, big lashes and trademark blonde hair worn in pigtails, earning her the nickname "Powerhouse in Pigtails." Born in Elizabeth, NJ, Margaret moved to Tenafly, NJ at 24 years old to raise her three stepchildren with her first husband, Jan Josephs. She soon gave birth to their own son and they lived happily ever after... until they happily divorced. Margaret then met the love of her life - "Super Joe," the ultimate motorcycle riding plumber and contractor -and they eloped in 2013. After graduating from FIT with a degree in Marketing and Fashion Design, Margaret worked at the heart of the New York Garment Center as a dress designer. In 1999, Margaret launched her line of home accessories, Macbeth Collection by Margaret Josephs, and the company has since grown into a global lifestyle brand. Margaret is a lifestyle expert and can be seen regularly on TV sharing her tips and picks for organizing, accessorizing and glamorizing. Margaret is sure she is ready for whatever this New Jersey crew throws her way.

"The Real Housewives of New Jersey" is produced by Sirens Media, LLC, for Bravo. Rebecca Toth Diefenbach, Valerie Haselton, Lucilla D'Agostino, Luke Neslage and Amy Kohn are executive producers. Andy Cohen also serves as an Executive Producer.

About Bravo Media:

Bravo Media is the premier lifestyle and entertainment brand that drives cultural conversation around its high-quality, interactive original content focusing on the network's passion points of food, fashion, beauty, design, digital, and pop culture. The network's diversified slate includes Bravo's scripted series "Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce," "Imposters," and "Odd Mom Out," in addition to unscripted favorites such as Emmy Award-winning "Top Chef," "Vanderpump Rules," "Below Deck," "Southern Charm," and the popular "Million Dollar Listing" and "The Real Housewives" franchises, as well as the only live late-night talk show, "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen." Available in 87 million homes, Bravo is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Watch Bravo anywhere: on demand, online, or across mobile and connected TVs. Bravo has been an NBCUniversal cable network since December 2002 and first launched in December 1980.