‘Jersey Shore’ cast on Ronnie Ortiz-Magro’s season hiatus: He ‘needed’ a break
Ronnie Ortiz-Magro’s “Jersey Shore” castmates have his back.
Though the series stalwart appears in Thursday’s “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation” premiere, he sat out for the rest of Season 5 to focus on his mental health, a decision the rest of the show’s cast say they support.
Ortiz-Magro “needed” to take a break from the show, the MTV hit’s cast exclusively told Page Six during a virtual press junket.
“I think he handled it the way that he should have by taking his time to get his mental health right, to go through the process and deal with everything that he needed to deal with,” Jenni “JWoww” Farley said.
“We just wish him the best and hope that he is doing well now — at least better than before.”
Ortiz-Magro, 36, revealed in April via social media that he was stepping away from MTV’s iconic reality series to “seek medical treatment for mental health issues” that he had ignored for “too long.”
“My number one goal now is facing my struggles head-on. This process will be difficult, but my #1 priority is to get healthy and be the best man and the best father I can [be] for my daughter,” wrote the TV personality, who shares Ariana, 3, with ex Jen Harley.
Ortiz-Magro’s announcement came in tandem with news that he’d avoided charges stemming from a 2021 arrest for alleged domestic violence reportedly involving his fiancée, Saffire Matos.
“We respected his decision to take a step back and focus on mental health because that’s ultimately the most important thing,” DJ Pauly D told Page Six of his longtime pal.
“Get your mental health right. I certainly support that decision that he made to take that step back and I … respect him.”
Vinny Guadagnino — who took a hiatus from the show in 2012 during its original run to handle his own mental health struggles — said that he and his co-stars are hopeful that Ortiz-Magro will one day return.
“[Ronnie has] always been a part of the show, obviously, and a part of our family,” said the “Control the Crazy” author, 34, who has fiercely advocated for those suffering from anxiety and mental health disorders.
Guadagnino then noted the personal strides made by Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, a now-happily married father who overcame addiction and served an eight-month prison sentence for tax evasion amid heavy public scrutiny.
“Mike has gone through such an amazing transformation. We’re always here for each other when putting in the work and making these amazing comebacks,” he said, expressing optimism for Ortiz-Magro’s future on and off TV.
“The comeback is greater than the setback.”
“Jersey Shore: Family Vacation” Season 5 premieres tonight at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.
