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The Real Housewives of Orange County

American reality television series

The Real Housewives of Orange County
Summary

American reality television series

FieldValue
imageTHE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTY LOGO NEW.png
genreReality television
creatorScott Dunlop
starring{{Plainlist
countryUnited States
languageEnglish
num_seasons19
num_episodes348
list_episodesList of The Real Housewives of Orange County episodes
executive_producer{{Plainlist
* Douglas Ross<ref name"exec"
* Alex Baskin<ref name"exec"/
* Thomas Kelly<ref name"exec"/
* Brian McCarthy<ref name"exec"/
* Apryl Richards<ref name"exec"/
* Scott Dunlop<ref name"exec"/
cameraSingle-camera
runtime42 minutes
companyEvolution Media
Dunlop Entertainment
32 Flavors
networkBravo
first_aired
last_airedpresent
related{{Plainlist
inspired_by{{plainlist
  • Kimberly Bryant
  • Jo De La Rosa
  • Vicki Gunvalson
  • Jeana Keough
  • Lauri Peterson
  • Tammy Knickerbocker
  • Tamra Judge
  • Quinn Fry
  • Lynne Curtin
  • Gretchen Rossi
  • Alexis Bellino
  • Peggy Tanous
  • Heather Dubrow
  • Lydia McLaughlin
  • Shannon Storms Beador
  • Lizzie Rovsek
  • Meghan King Edmonds
  • Kelly Dodd
  • Peggy Sulahian
  • Gina Kirschenheiter
  • Emily Simpson
  • Braunwyn Windham-Burke
  • Elizabeth Lyn Vargas
  • Jen Armstrong
  • Noella Bergener
  • Jennifer Pedranti
  • Katie Ginella
  • Douglas Ross
  • Alex Baskin
  • Thomas Kelly
  • Brian McCarthy
  • Apryl Richards
  • Scott Dunlop
  • Andy Cohen Dunlop Entertainment 32 Flavors
  • Date My Ex: Jo & Slade
  • Tamra's OC Wedding
  • Desperate Housewives
  • Peyton Place}}

The Real Housewives of Orange County, abbreviated RHOC, is an American reality television series that premiered on Bravo on March 21, 2006. It has aired nineteen seasons and focuses on the personal and professional lives of several wealthy women residing in Orange County, California.

The recently concluded nineteenth season cast consists of Tamra Judge, Heather Dubrow, Shannon Storms Beador, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson, Jennifer Pedranti and Katie Ginella; with former housewife Gretchen Rossi appearing in a "friend of" capacity.

It is the founding installment of The Real Housewives franchise and its success led to the expansion of the franchise with numerous spin-off series set in cities across the United States and internationally. It has also resulted in two spin-offs; Date My Ex: Jo & Slade and Tamra's OC Wedding.

Production

[[Vicki Gunvalson]] appeared as a main cast member during seasons 1–13, making her the first housewife of the entire franchise to reach 13 seasons.

Seasons 1–3

In April 2005, The Real Housewives was ordered by American television network Bravo. The show's working title was “Behind The Gates,” and was intended to follow a documentary format. It was renamed as The Real Housewives of Orange County in January 2006. Show creator Scott Dunlop said that it was originally planned to be set in a single gated community in Coto de Caza, California. The show was inspired by scripted soap operas Desperate Housewives and Peyton Place, and would document the lives of upper-class women who "lead glamorous lives in a Southern California gated community where the average home has a $1.6 million price tag and residents include CEOs and retired professional athletes."

The first season premiered on March 21, 2006, and starred Kimberly Bryant, Jo De La Rosa, Vicki Gunvalson, Jeana Keough and Lauri Peterson (then Waring). Bryant left after the first season. Tammy Knickerbocker joined the cast for the second season which premiered on January 16, 2007. Bryant appeared as a guest. After the second season, De La Rosa exited the series as a regular cast member. The third season premiered on November 6, 2007, which featured Tamra Judge (then Barney) as the latest housewife, while Quinn Fry joined the cast in the sixth episode. Bryant and De La Rosa returned as guests. Knickerbocker and Fry left the main cast after the third season.

Seasons 4–8

Cast members (L-R): Lynne Curtin, [[Tamra Judge]], [[Vicki Gunvalson]], [[Jeana Keough]] and Gretchen Rossi at the [[Virgin America]] OC Launch in 2009

Gretchen Rossi was introduced in the fourth season premiere on November 25, 2008. Peterson made her final appearance as a main cast member in the third episode, while Lynne Curtin joined the cast in the fourth episode. Bryant and De La Rosa made their final guest appearance during the season finale, whilst Knickerbocker also returned as a guest. Keough's final season as a full-time cast member, season five premiered on November 5, 2009. After Keough left the show as a full-time cast member, Alexis Bellino was added to the main cast. Fry, Knickerbocker and Peterson returned as a guest. Curtin left after the fifth season.

The sixth season which premiered on March 6, 2011, introduced Peggy Tanous as the newest housewife and friend of the housewives Fernanda Rocha. Keough returned in a "friend of the housewives" capacity, while Curtin, Fry, and Knickerbocker appeared as guests. Heather Dubrow joined the cast in the seventh season which premiered on February 7, 2012. Keough and Tanous appeared in guest capacities, with the latter receiving confessional interviews in the season's first two episodes, while Sarah Winchester was featured as a friend of the housewives. Tanous was set to film another season as a full-time housewife, however, quit the series after the season's second episode due to ongoing personal conflict involving herself, Bellino and Bellino's husband, Jim; marking her final appearance on the show. On April 1, 2013, the eighth season premiered and the cast was joined by Lydia McLaughlin. Peterson also appeared as a friend of the housewives in the eighth season. Bellino, McLaughlin, Rossi and Peterson departed after the season.

Seasons 9–12

The ninth season premiered on April 14, 2014, and introduced Shannon Storms Beador and Lizzie Rovsek as the new housewives. While Danielle Gregorio joined as friend of the housewives. The tenth season which premiered on June 8, 2015, saw Rovsek return as a friend of the housewives, and Meghan King joining the cast. Curtin, Keough and Knickerbocker made guest appearances in the season.

The eleventh season premiered on June 20, 2016. It featured Kelly Leventhal (then Dodd) joining the cast and Keough making a guest appearance. Dubrow exited the series after the season. McLaughlin returned for the show's twelfth season which premiered on July 10, 2017. Peggy Sulahian joined as the latest housewife, while Keough, Rossi and Rovsek made guest appearances. After the season concluded, King Edmonds, McLaughlin and Sulahian left the show.

Seasons 13–16

Gina Kirschenheiter and Emily Simpson joined the cast for the thirteenth season, which premiered on July 16, 2018.

The fourteenth season premiered on August 6, 2019. Braunwyn Windham-Burke joined as a cast member, while Gunvalson was demoted to a "friend of the housewives" status. King and Bellino both appeared in a guest capacity. Gunvalson and Judge both left the series in January 2020. Filming for the show was paused between March and July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

The fifteenth season premiered on October 14, 2020, with Elizabeth Lyn Vargas joining the cast. Keough served as a narrator in the opening of the season premiere. Rovsek appeared as a guest in the fifth episode. The season served as the final season for Dodd, Windham-Burke and Vargas.

The sixteenth season premiered on December 1, 2021, with Beador, Kirschenheiter and Simpson returning, along with former housewife Dubrow, and new housewives Jen Armstrong and Noella Bergener joining the main cast. Nicole James appeared as a friend of the housewives, departing halfway through the season. Keough and Rovsek also had guest appearances during the season. The reunion was taped on March 10, 2022.

Season 17–present

Following the conclusion of the sixteenth season, Armstrong and Bergener announced their exits from the show on July 8, 2022. On July 20, Judge announced her return to the franchise. The following month, it was announced former The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast member Taylor Armstrong joined the cast as a friend of the housewives. In October, Gunvalson was announced to appear in a guest capacity. The seventeenth season premiered on June 7, 2023, with new housewife Jennifer Pedranti joining the cast.

The eighteenth season premiered on July 11, 2024. All cast members returned except Armstrong , with Katie Ginella joining the main cast and Alexis Bellino appearing as a friend. Gunvalson, Vargas, De La Rosa and Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave made guest appearances. Bellino departed at the end of the season.

The nineteeth season premiered on July 10, 2025, with the entire main cast returning and Rossi appearing as a friend. De La Rosa and Vargas made guest appearances.

At BravoCon 2025, Gunvalson was announced to return as a full-time housewife for season twenty. Ginella exited the series in January 2026 after not being asked back. In January 2026, Rossi was confirmed to be exiting the series once again, and that Judge, Dubrow, Storms Beador, Kirschenheiter, Simpson, and Pedranti would all return for the series' twentieth season alongside Gunvalson.

Cast

Cast membersSeasons1234567891011121314151617181920Friends of the housewives
Kimberly Bryantcolspan="1"colspan="3"colspan="16"
Jo De La Rosacolspan="2"colspan="2"colspan="13"colspan="2"colspan="1"
Vicki Gunvalsoncolspan="13"Friend}}colspan="2"colspan="2"colspan="1"colspan="1"
Jeana Keoughcolspan="5"Friend}}colspan="1"colspan="2"colspan="3"colspan="3"colspan="1"colspan="4"
Lauri Petersoncolspan="4"colspan="1"colspan="2"Friend}}colspan="12"
NowrapTammy Knickerbockercolspan="1"colspan="2"colspan="3"colspan="3"colspan="1"colspan="10"
Quinn Frycolspan="2"colspan="1"colspan="3"colspan="14"
Tamra Judgecolspan="2"colspan="12"colspan="2"colspan="4"
Lynne Curtincolspan="3"colspan="2"colspan="1"colspan= 3"colspan="1"colspan="10"
nowrapGretchen Rossicolspan="3"colspan="5"colspan="3"colspan="1"colspan="6"Friend}}colspan="1"
Alexis Bellinocolspan="4"colspan="4"colspan="5"colspan="1"colspan="3"Friend}}colspan="2"
Peggy Tanouscolspan="5"colspan="1"colspan="1"colspan="13"
Heather Dubrowcolspan="6"colspan="5"colspan="4"colspan="5"
Lydia McLaughlincolspan="7"colspan="1"colspan="3"colspan="1"colspan="8"
Lizzie Rovsekcolspan="8"colspan="1"Friend}}colspan="1"colspan="1"colspan="2"colspan="2"colspan="4"
Shannon Storms Beadorcolspan="8"colspan="12"
nowrapMeghan King Edmondscolspan="8"colspan="1"colspan="3"colspan="1"colspan="1"colspan="6"
Kelly Doddcolspan="10"colspan="5"colspan="5"
Peggy Sulahiancolspan="11"colspan="1"colspan="8"
Gina Kirschenheitercolspan="12"colspan="8"
Emily Simpsoncolspan="9"colspan="1"colspan="2"colspan="8"
NowrapBraunwyn Windham-Burkecolspan="13"colspan="2"colspan="5"
Elizabeth Lyn Vargascolspan="14"colspan="1"colspan="2"colspan="2"colspan="1"
Noella Bergenercolspan="13"colspan="2"colspan="1"colspan="4"
Jen Armstrongcolspan="14"colspan="1"colspan="1"colspan="4"
Jennifer Pedranticolspan="16"colspan="4"
Katie Ginellacolspan="17"colspan="2"colspan="1"
Fernanda Rochacolspan="4"colspan="1"Friend}}colspan="14"
Sarah Winchestercolspan="4"colspan="2"Friend}}colspan="13"
Danielle Gregoriocolspan="8"Friend}}colspan="11"
Nicole Jamescolspan="15"Friend}}colspan="4"
Taylor Armstrongcolspan="16"Friend}}colspan="3"

Episodes

Main article: List of The Real Housewives of Orange County episodes

Broadcast

The Real Housewives of Orange County airs regularly on Bravo in the United States; most episodes are approximately forty-two minutes in length, and are broadcast in standard definition and high definition. Since its premiere, the series has alternated airing on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings and has been frequently shifted between the 8:00, 9:00, and 10:00 pm timeslots.

Spin-offs

Date My Ex: Jo & Slade became the first spin-off from The Real Housewives of Orange County; the dating game show documented De La Rosa as she began dating after moving to Los Angeles, where potential suitors were regularly surveyed by Smiley. It premiered on June 30, 2008, and ended on September 8, 2008, after broadcasting nine episodes during its first and only season.

After becoming engaged to Judge in February 2013, Barney was commissioned to star in the three-part spin-off special Tamra's OC Wedding. It highlighted the preparations for their nuptials and was broadcast from September 2, 2013, until September 16, 2013.

References

References

  1. (November 11, 2021). ""The Real Housewives of Orange County" Returns with a Supersized Season Premiere on Wednesday, December 1 at 9PM ET/PT on Bravo".
  2. (April 26, 2005). "Bravo Launches Most Aggressive Slate of Original Programming for 2005-06 Season". Futon Media.
  3. (January 6, 2006). "Bravo's 'The Real Housewives of Orange County' to premiere March 21". Reality TV World.
  4. Eades, Mark. (January 10, 2007). "Producer gets real about the real housewives.". Freedom Communications.
  5. (April 9, 2014). "Jo De La Rosa: My Life After the Real Housewives".
  6. (December 27, 2012). "The Real Housewives of Orange County: Season 3".
  7. (April 30, 2014). "Tammy Knickerbocker: My Life After the Real Housewives".
  8. (December 16, 2008). "You Just Don't Get It". Bravo. NBCUniversal.
  9. (November 19, 2009). "It Ends in Coto de Caza". Bravo. NBCUniversal.
  10. (June 4, 2014). "Jeana Keough: My Life After the Real Housewives".
  11. "'The Real Housewives of O.C.' to debut Nov. 5, Jeana Keough leaving".
  12. (May 15, 2014). "Lynne Curtin: My Life After the Real Housewives".
  13. (February 20, 2012). "'Real Housewives of O.C.'s' Heather Dubrow on Peggy's Exit and Friction With Alexis".
  14. (June 24, 2013). "'Real Housewives' Turns 100: All The Ladies Who Were On 'Orange County'". [[The Huffington Post]]. AOL.
  15. "Danielle Gregorio – Bio". Bravo. NBCUniversal.
  16. (May 12, 2015). "The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 10, Now With Sharks, Death Threats, Mock Funerals and Breakdowns". E News.
  17. (March 10, 2014). "Lizzie Rovsek".
  18. (July 6, 2015). "Ep 5: Game Changer". Bravo. NBCUniversal.
  19. Harnick, Chris. (June 1, 2015). "The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 10 Will Have a Birth, Death and Everything in Between".
  20. Gajewski, Ryan. (May 23, 2016). "'The Real Housewives of Orange County' Season 11 Trailer Reveals Fights, a Newcomer and a Dune Buggy Accident: Watch!". [[Us Weekly]].
  21. (January 27, 2017). "One of the Real Housewives of Orange County Confirms She Won't Return".
  22. (May 25, 2017). "A ''Real Housewives of Orange County'' Alum Is Returning for Season 12". [[NBCUniversal]].
  23. Quinn, Dave. (June 5, 2017). "Bravo's 100th Housewife Makes Her Debut in Real Housewives of Orange County Season 12 Trailer".
  24. Harnick, Chris. (January 23, 2018). "Meghan King Edmonds Leaving ''The Real Housewives of Orange County''". [[NBCUniversal]].
  25. (February 9, 2018). "Lydia McLaughlin Is Leaving the ''Real Housewives of Orange County''". [[American Media, Inc.]].
  26. (February 13, 2018). "One of The Real Housewives of Orange County Says She Won't Be Returning: "Moving on Seemed Like the Right Thing to Do"".
  27. (June 11, 2018). "Your First Look at #RHOC Season 13!".
  28. (July 25, 2019). "Andy Cohen Teases Vicki Gunvalson's "Very Much a Part of" of RHOC Season 14".
  29. Vena, Jocelyn. (October 15, 2019). "Meghan King Edmonds Returned to RHOC and Had Gina Kirschenheiter Asking "Who the F--- Is Meghan?"".
  30. (October 14, 2019). "Alexis Bellino Reveals If She Wants to Return to 'RHOC' Full-Time After Surprise Cameo (Exclusive)".
  31. Morin, Alyssa. (January 25, 2020). "Tamra Judge Is Leaving Real Housewives of Orange County". [[NBCUniversal]].
  32. Yee, Lawrence. (March 24, 2020). "How 'Real Housewives' Productions Are Dealing With the Real-World Coronavirus Pandemic".
  33. Sander, Brice. (September 2, 2020). "The 'RHOC' Season 15 Trailer Is Here! (Exclusive)".
  34. Sander, Brice. (October 14, 2020). "Yes, That's 'RHOC' OG Jeana Keough's Voice on the Season 15 Premiere! (Exclusive)".
  35. Moylan, Brian. (November 11, 2020). "The Real Housewives of Orange County Recap: Little Red Corvette".
  36. Sollosi, Mary. (November 11, 2021). "Heather Dubrow returns in The Real Housewives of Orange County season 16 trailer".
  37. (June 16, 2021). "Heather Dubrow to Return to RHOC as Kelly Dodd, Braunwyn Windham-Burke, and Elizabeth Lyn Vargas Exit".
  38. Quinn, Dave. (July 8, 2022). "Jennifer Armstrong and Noella Bergener Depart ''Real Housewives of Orange County'' After 1 Season". [[Dotdash Meredith]].
  39. Quinn, Dave. (July 20, 2022). "Tamra Judge Confirms Return to ''Real Housewives of Orange County'' for Season 17". [[Dotdash Meredith]].
  40. Quinn, Dave. (August 1, 2022). "Taylor Armstrong Joins Real Housewives of Orange County, Becoming First Housewife to Move Franchises". [[Dotdash Meredith]].
  41. Malec, Brett. (October 14, 2022). "Vicki Gunvalson Confirms RHOC Return With Season 17 Cameos".
  42. Crist, Allison. (April 25, 2023). "RHOC Season 17 Welcomes a New Wife, New Drama — and a Surprise Cameo from Vicki Gunvalson".
  43. Quinn, Dave. (November 29, 2023). "Taylor Armstrong Exits 'RHOC' After 1 Season as a Friend: 'Wishing the Ladies All the Best'". [[People (magazine).
  44. https://people.com/alexis-bellino-returning-to-rhoc-as-a-friend-8549528
  45. "Alexis Bellino Announces Exit from 'The Real Housewives of Orange County': 'I Was Not Asked Back'".
  46. https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/rhoc-season-19-full-cast-gretchen-rossi-friend-role-details
  47. https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/andy-cohen-invites-vicki-gunvalson-rhoc-return-bravocon-2025
  48. https://pagesix.com/2026/01/09/entertainment/katie-ginella-fired-from-rhoc-after-2-seasons/
  49. https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/gretchen-rossi-not-returning-rhoc-season-20-tamra-judge-will-1236627879/
  50. "Shows A-Z – real housewives of orange county, the on bravo". The Futon Critic.
  51. (March 21, 2006). "iTunes – TV Shows – The Real Housewives of Orange County, Season 3". [[iTunes Store]] (US). [[Apple Inc.]].
  52. (March 21, 2006). "iTunes – TV Shows – The Real Housewives of Orange County, Season 8". iTunes Store (US). Apple Inc..
  53. "Shows A-Z – Date My Ex: Jo & Slade on Bravo".
  54. Rivera, Zayda. (June 16, 2013). "'Real Housewives of OC' star Tamra Barney marries Eddie Judge with castmates in attendance". Mortimer Zuckerman.
  55. "Shows A-Z – Tamra's OC Wedding on Bravo".
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