Sammi ‘Sweetheart’ Giancola returns to ‘Jersey Shore’ after decade-long hiatus

Reality TV

She’s still the sweetest bitch you’ll ever meet.

Over 10 years after she left the original series, Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola has reunited with her castmates to film “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation,” MTV announced Saturday.

The network revealed the news via social media by sharing a photo of the reality star sitting on a chair with a boom mic and camera in the frame, seemingly filming a confessional.

A photo of Sammi Giancola filming “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation”
Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola has reunited with her former castmates to film “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation.”
Instagram/jerseyshore

Giancola, 35, also confirmed the exciting comeback by re-posting the same pic to her Instagram Stories and Twitter.

Fans were quick to express their thoughts about the reality star’s highly anticipated return on social media, writing things like, “I’m going to lose my f–king mindddddd!!!!!!!,” “OMG STAHP” and “This is so f–kin iconic.”

A photo Sammi Giancolo filming “Jersey Shore”
Fans haven’t seen her on the show she left the original series over 10 years ago.
Instagram/sammisweetheart

It’s been over a decade since “Jersey Shore” fans have seen Giancola make an appearance on the show. She starred in the original series with Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, Jenni “JWoww” Farley, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Pauly “DJ Pauly D” DelVecchio, Angelina Pivarnick, Vinny Guadagnino, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro and Deena Nicole Cortese.

The show ran from 2009 to 2012 until MTV rebooted it in 2018 – sans Giancola – as “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation.”

Giancola’s ex Ortiz-Magro had previously been featured in the new series but announced he was taking a break in May 2021 amid mental health issues and legal woes.

Ronnie and Sammi have a date at the beach.
The “Jersey Shore” star’s former relationship with Ronnie Ortiz-Magro was heavily documented on the original series.
Splash News
A photo of Sammi and Ronnie on “Jersey Shore”
Ortiz-Magro previously announced he was taking a break from the show in 2021.
WireImage

“After talking to the team at MTV, we have mutually agreed that I will step away from the show while I seek medical treatment for mental health issues that I’ve ignored for too long,” Ortiz-Magro, who celebrated one year of sobriety last August, wrote in a statement on his Instagram Story at the time.

“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 for my daughter [Ariana Sky].”

According to some of the cast, they’ve been wanting Giancola to come back for years.

A photo of Sammi GIancola and Snooki from “Jersey Shore”
Giancola starred in the OG series with Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi.
Getty Images
A photo from “Jersey Shore”
Several members from the cast, including Deena Nicole Cortese, have reportedly been wanting her to come back for years.
©MTV/courtesy Everett / Everett Collection

“We tried to get her back like two years ago, all of us texting her saying, ‘Come for one dinner. Why not?’” Polizzi, 35, explained to E! News in September 2022. “And she’s just always like, ’No, I’ll never do that show again.’ We didn’t want to push it.”

Polizzi added that she “went to go message” Giancola again – only to find out she had allegedly been blocked.

“I don’t know what I did. It’s unfortunate because we would love for her to come back,” she said. “She’s a part of the show. I feel like it’s not full unless all of us are there. It’s sad.”

A photo of Sammi Giancola from “Jersey Shore”
The reality star also confirmed her comeback via her own social media accounts.
Instagram/sammisweetheart
A photo of Sammi Giancola snapping a selfie
New pics from MTV show Giancola seemingly filming a confessional.
Instagram/sammisweetheart

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Giancola previously addressed why she didn’t want to return for “Family Vacation” via Instagram in March 2018.

“I am currently extremely happy in every aspect of my life and want to avoid potentially toxic situations,” she wrote in part at the time, seemingly referencing her former relationship with Ortiz-Magro, 37.

“It was a difficult decision as I love my roomies. I’ve decided to focus on me, my future and what truly makes me happy.”

“Jersey Shore: Family Vacation” airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.

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