Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi would love for her husband, Jionni LaValle, to appear on Jersey Shore: Family Vacation like her castmates’ significant others, but there’s a reason he’s been M.I.A. “I’ve always been asking, but I respect his privacy,” Snooki told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY at the season 6b premiere party on Aug. 2. “He really just doesn’t want to be on camera, so I respect it.”
Jionni was part of Snooki’s Jersey Shore spin-off, Snooki & JWoww in 2012, but has prioritized other things these days. “He just really wants to be the home base when I’m filming, which I’m so thankful for,” Snooki explained. “He’s at home taking care of the kids while I go and drink wine. It’s amazing.” Snooki and Jionni tied the knot in 2014 and have three children together.
In a 2022 interview, Snooki told us EXCLUSIVELY that this arrangement is “what works” for her family. “I think the fact that that aspect of my life isn’t shown is nice,” she admitted. “It’s private and it’s just us. When I come home, it’s just us and I don’t feel like people are always watching.”
Nicole briefly left Jersey Shore herself during the fourth season of Family Vacation in 2020 and 2021. However, after taking a break to spend time with her family and avoid drama, she returned full-time for season 5 and has been back ever since.
“I’m very happy that I took the leave because my mental health was not okay,” Snooki told us. “That’s what I always put first in my head. If I’m not feeling good, if I’m forcing myself to be somewhere I don’t want to be, then I’m not doing that anymore. So I put myself first. I’m glad I took the break and I’m so glad I came back.”
For season 6b, another cast member will be returning after an even longer hiatus. Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola is returning to our screens for the first time since 2012. She opted not to be part of the Family Vacation revival when it premiered in 2018, but said she’s in a much better place now and will appear in upcoming episodes. Jersey Shore returns on Aug. 3 at 8:00 p.m. on MTV.