Comeback Queen nominees in the Virtual Reali-Tea ‘VRT’ Awards 2025

Don’t call it a comeback… or maybe do.

In 2025, we saw the successful returns of many reality TV stars that proved absence really does make the heart grow fonder, no matter how long it’s been.

Each small-screen resurgence was iconic in its own right, but we’re leaving it up to you to decided which comeback was the crème de la crème and deserves to be named “Comeback Queen” in Virtual Reali-Tea’s inaugural “VRT” awards.

You can vote for the person you think should win from now until Aug. 27, and then come celebrate the winner live with hosts Evan Real and Danny Murphy and lots of incredible guests in NYC on Sept. 17. Keep reading for the nominees

Rachel Zoe, from “The Rachel Zoe Project” to “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”

Rachel Zoe’s return to Bravo was a sweet surprise for OG fans.

The fashion designer’s previous show on the network, “The Rachel Zoe Project,” aired from 2008 to 2013 and gave viewers an inside look into the glamorous and hectic world of fashion.

Now, Zoe’s hectic personal life will be on display like never before when she joins “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” as a full-time Housewife for Season 15.

It’s likely that the 53-year-old stylist’s divorce, which was announced in September 2024 and officially filed earlier this month, will play out on camera.

Porsha Williams, return to “The Real Housewives of Atlanta”

NeNe Leakes may not have wanted to call Porsha Williams, but Bravo sure did when they asked her to return to “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” for Season 16.

When the season premiered, it was as if Williams — who had previously appeared on the show from 2012 to 2021 — never left; she immediately brought the nostalgia with her hilarious one-liners and below-the-belt digs.

The “Flatline” singer candidly let fans into her life as she navigated her divorce from Simon Guobadia, financial troubles and more.

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, from “The Hills” to our hearts

The devil works hard, but Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt work harder.

The couple, who rose to fame on “The Hills” as the show’s villains, had quite the year. It started tragically when they lost their home to the LA wildfires, but they literally rose from the ashes and came out on top.

Through Pratt’s commitment to Montag — and his relentless social media posts — her 2010 album “Superficial” climbed the iTunes charts to No. 1 and “I’ll Do It” became the TikTok song of the year.

Pratt, meanwhile, made his return to the small screen when he appeared on Hulu’s reality competition series “Got To Get Out” in April alongside Kim Zolciak, Val Chmerkovskiy, Cynthia Bailey and more.

Stassi Schroeder, from “Vanderpump Rules” to “Vanderpump Villa”

Despite her success as a podcast host and author, fans had been craving Stassi Schroeder to return to their TV screens ever since she was fired from “Vanderpump Rules” in 2020.

So, when she reunited with her former boss Lisa Vanderpump for Season 2 of Hulu’s “Vanderpump Villa,” supporters were thrilled.

Kristin Cavallari, from “Laguna Beach” and “The Hills” to “Honestly Cavallari: The Headline Tour”

Kristin Cavallari is arguably the OG “cool girl.” She raised a generation of teens on “Laguna Beach” and “The Hills” who looked up to her confidence and nonchalant attitude, and became a household name when she let viewers into her adult life on “Very Cavallari.”

While she took a step back from reality TV for many years to find love and have kids, Cavallari still frequently made headlines thanks to her rumored romances and rendezvous with celebrities.

She finally decided to take the narrative into her own hands with “Honestly Cavallari: The Headline Tour,” which followed her on her “Let’s Be Honest” podcast tour.

Cavallari was as candid as ever on the show, doing everything from calling out her former hookup Craig Conover and opening up about her tumultuous relationship with her dad.

Now that you know the nominees for “Comeback Queen,” you can cast your vote for who should win in Virtual Reali-Tea’s “VRT” Awards.

And don’t miss out on an unforgettable night of juicy interviews with iconic reality stars at our live show on Sept. 17!