Peter Thomas and Cynthia Bailey

Earlier I told you that Real Housewives of Atlanta producers were planning to shed dead weight from the once popular reality TV show.

Welp, it looks like longtime cast member Peter Thomas, 56, is the first casualty to be let go. Thomas is getting the boot from the show after 2 seasons of declining ratings.

The news comes one day after Thomas’ long-suffering wife Cynthia Bailey told Life & Style magazine that her marriage was “not in a good place.”

Of course, to hear Thomas tell it, he’s leaving the show of his own accord.

Thomas got the jump on the show’s producers by speaking exclusively to celebrity blogger Michelle Brown of straightfromthea.com.

Those shows are created to destroy marriage, not to empower marriage… so I’m choosing to bow out. That’s my choice. This season was so beautiful to me the way it ended…. and I don’t want to f— that up.”

The failed restauranteur also denied cheating on his former model wife Cynthia Bailey:

“Since I’ve been married to my wife, I haven’t cheated on my wife with anyone. I happen to be old fashioned and actually am in love with my wife,” the grizzled reality star said.