'RHOC' Shocker! Tamra Announces She's Leaving Show After Vicki's Exit
'I'm sad to go,' Judge says, following co-star Gunvalson out the door.
Jan. 26 2020, Updated 1:28 p.m. ET
Tamra Judge has announced she's leaving The Real Housewives of Orange County — just hours after her longtime co-star Vicki Gunvalson did the same.
In a shocking end for the Bravo reality TV show's most famous blondes, Tamra followed Vicki out the door.
In a brief caption to a Saturday, January 25, Instagram photo of herself and husband Eddie, Tamra, 52, wrote, "It's been a wild 12 years. But it's time for me to move on. Im sic sad to go but I'm very excited about my future. Love you guys."
Fans weighed in, with one responding with horror: "No no no no no no no!!!!"
On Friday, Vicki, 57, announced after 14 years on the original Housewives show, she's done.
"I will always be the OG of the OC, but it's time to say goodbye to The Real Housewives of Orange County," the Bravolebrity wrote on her Instagram page on January 24.
"It's been an incredible ride for 14 years and I want thank all of you for your support, for your love and for 'whooping it up' with me along the way," Vicki said.
"It's the end of an era," a source close to production exclusively told RadarOnline.com about Vicki's abrupt departure.
As the insider noted, Vicki had been demoted to friend status last season and was offered the same reduced deal to return for RHOC's upcoming 15th season.
"Vicki made it very clear at BravoCon that she would never come back to the show as a friend," the source said.
Now, in a bigger surprise, Tamra is departing as well!
Could both ladies' departures be an age issue, with the stars now over 50?
"The network wants to skew younger," a source told RadarOnline.com last year.
While the source previously told RadarOnline.com, "Confirmed and picked up for the RHOC cast for next season are Tamra Judge, Shannon Beador, Emily Simpson, Braunwyn Windham-Burke, and Kelly Dodd," with contract letters getting sent to the ladies on Jan. 9 and 10, it was up to them to accept or reject the offers.
Plus, Tamra came close to getting fired, according to the insider, and barely got an offer. The money could well have not been to her liking.
Tamra went on an RV road trip with her husband over New Year's amid rumors there could be big a big cast shakeup.
Now it seems she's moving on with her life away from the RHOC cameras!