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Carolyna Hutchings has announced her exit from The Real Housewives of Lagos after four years with the reality series.
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The actress and filmmaker said she is closing the chapter to focus on her career, businesses, family and legacy.
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Hutchings described being part of a Nigerian reality show as exhausting and asked to be left out of drama involving other cast members.
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The actress, formerly known as Caroline Danjuma, has continued to build her career in Nollywood and film production.
August 31, (THEWILL) — Carolyna Hutchings has officially closed the chapter on The Real Housewives of Lagos, announcing her exit from the reality series on Monday.
The actress and filmmaker shared the announcement on Instagram, saying she is moving on from the show and turning her attention to her career, businesses, family and the legacy she wants to build.
Hutchings described her experience on Nigerian reality television as exhausting and said she was making her final statement on the subject.
“It is exhausting being part of a reality show in Nigeria. This is my last note on the subject before I close the curtain.”
Reflecting on her career, Hutchings noted that she has spent more than two decades in the entertainment industry. She said she has featured in over 60 movies, produced and shot three award-winning films locally and internationally, and created jobs for more than 500 people and talents.
She stressed that her career existed long before reality television and that there is more to her story beyond the show.
Hutchings also made it clear that she does not consider any of the RHOL cast members her friends and warned against interpreting her kindness as friendship.
“No cast member of RHOL is my friend, not on the show, not after the show. My kindness should never be mistaken for friendship.”
She said she joined the show for entertainment but felt her participation had been used to redefine her life and attach narratives to her that did not reflect who she is.
“I participated for entertainment purposes, but the whole thing has been used to redefine my whole life, with people attaching different narratives to me.”
According to Hutchings, her name has been dragged into matters that do not concern her, while false and unnecessary narratives have been circulated about her. She also said insults had been directed at the father of her children and called for such narratives to stop.
She stressed that her life cannot be defined by the reality show.
“Before the show, I had a life. During the show, I had a life. After the show, I still have a life. I am focused, and I am minding my business. Whatever happened on the show stays on the show.”
Hutchings further asked that she no longer be associated with the personal lives or disputes of her former cast members.
“Do not attach me to any cast member, their life, their disputes or their personal business. I do not care.”
She ended her statement by making it clear that she has moved on from the show and is focused on her future and her children.
“The show is over, and I have moved on. I am building a legacy my children will be proud of. The show was a chapter of my life I enjoyed, and that chapter is closed.”
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Hutchings joined The Real Housewives of Lagos when the Showmax series premiered in April 2022. She was part of the original cast alongside Iyabo Ojo, Laura Ikeji Kanu, Chioma Ikokwu, Toyin Lawani Adebayo and Mariam Timmer.
She did not return for the second season but later returned for Season 3, which premiered in January 2025.
Before joining RHOL, Hutchings had already established herself in Nollywood as an actress and producer. She has also worked on film projects through her production company, Afrivista Films.
Hutchings was previously married to businessman Musa Danjuma. The couple married in 2007 and had three children together before their marriage ended in divorce in 2016. She later adopted Hutchings, her maternal family name, as her professional identity.
With her latest announcement, Hutchings is now leaving reality television behind and turning her attention back to the career she built long before RHOL.
Evi-Ben Ezaga is an entertainment and society writer with a passion for stories that explore culture, people, and the stories shaping society today.
