For Andy Cohen, the dream come true of fatherhood has been a long time coming.
On Thursday’s episode of Watch What Happens Live, the host revealed he’s expecting his first child via surrogate in front of OG Real Housewives Vicki Gunvalson, Ramona Singer, NeNe Leakes, Kyle Richards and Teresa Giudice.
“Tonight, I want you to be the first to know that after many years of careful deliberation, a fair amount of prayers and the benefit of science — if all goes according to plan, in about six weeks time I’m going to become a father,” he said.
Cohen, 50, has long been candid about his desire to have a child. In a 2011 interview with PEOPLE, he said, “I’d love to settle down, get married and have kids.”
However, “I have many friends who have had kids alone but I don’t think I can do it with the lifestyle I have right now. It’s not fair to the kid,” Cohen admitted in the same interview. (He did not reveal whether he plans to raise his child as a single parent during his announcement on Thursday.)
“I grew up in St. Louis with two parents and a sister and a lot of people around. I don’t have that supportive structure.”,” he continued in 2011. “I would love to get married now. I’m thrilled about [marriage equality] and it made me think about it in a way I hadn’t before.”
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In November 2016, Cohen said during an appearance on the TODAY show that he was “opening myself up to love and a relationship and maybe a kid,” adding, “I think I’m closer to that spot than I ever was.”
Of whether he now believed he would need a partner to take on the task of parenting, he mused, “I don’t think [so]. I feel like I can just do it.”
The next month, when asked by the Allegedly podcast’s Theo Von and Matthew Cole Weiss if there was anything in life he felt he still needed to accomplish, Cohen replied, “Maybe being a dad.”
“I would just want someone healthy,” he responded to the question of whether he’d prefer sons or daughters.
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In a May 2017 interview with In Touch Weekly, Cohen — who turned 50 this past June — opened up about then-partner Clifton Dassuncao (the two have since split), as well as how he “would like to have kids” soon.
“The clock is ticking!” he told the outlet, revealing that he would be open to “anything” to have a family, such as adoption.
“I think it would be great to open my life up,” Cohen explained. “My dog Wacha made me think totally differently. It’s great to take care of someone else and put their needs before your own.”
And the Love Connection host has already had lots of practice with other kiddos around him. “I have nieces and nephews and I have godchildren and I would love to one day have kids of my own,” Cohen told Ryan Seacrest in a November 2017 interview.
RELATED GALLERY: Famous Families Who’ve Welcomed Children Through Surrogacy
Following his baby news, numerous other Housewives not present in the studio used social media to congratulate the father-to-be.
“I’m so beyond happy for you Andy,” wrote Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Rinna on Twitter.
“You are giving us a BRAVO BABY, I almost criiiiiieddd!!!!” said Candiace Dillard, who appears on Real Housewives of Potomac. “Wishing you so so so many congratulations, well wishes and blessings!!!!”
“He or she will undoubtedly have your charmingly crooked smile and win at life for ever [sic] and ever amen,” Dillard joked. “Love it!!!!! Congratulations again!!!!”
Cohen added in a tweet following his announcement: “Thank you for all the love and support! I’m overwhelmed and touched.”
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