EXCLUSIVE: Who's In and Who's out of 'Real Housewives of Orange County' for Season 20 — as We Reveal the One Major Star STILL in Limbo and Who Got the Axe
One 'RHOC' star remains 'in limbo' according to an insider.
Jan. 14 2026, Published 8:09 p.m. ET
With Vicki Gunvalson set to return for the landmark twentieth season of The Real Housewives of Orange County, fans have been clamoring to know who is going to return.
RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal who was offered a coveted spot to return to the hit franchise and who will be left in the dust.
Who Is Returning to 'RHOC' Season 20?
The entire cast aside from Katie Ginella was invited to return for 'RHOC' Season 20.
According to a source: "The entire cast was asked to return to the show sans Katie Ginella.
"Yes, this means Heather Dubrow, Emily Simpson, Gina Kirschenheiter, Jennifer Pedranti, Shannon Beador and Tamra Judge were given an orange for Season 20."
But what about Gretchen Rossi?
Rossi returned last season as a "friend" after a long hiatus from the show. While she and Judge went at it over a lot of their old issues, things took a turn when she was accused of liking and engaging with homophobic and transphobic posts on the season finale.
What's Going on With Gretchen Rossi?
Gretchen Rossi returned to 'RHOC' in Season 19 as a 'friend of' the housewives.
A separate source was able to explain what is going on with Rossi.
"Currently, Gretchen is in limbo," they explained. "Some of the women on the show who are fond of her have been calling her and asking her what's going on and if she's going to be returning."
While the insider stated last year was a "rough one" for Rossi, they noted it's "still possible" she could return, potentially even in a "full-time role."
"It's uncertain what will ultimately happen with her, but at the end of the day, there's still a lot of drama to be hashed out, and it would make sense to do it in front of the cameras," the insider added.
What Happened to Katie Ginella?
Katie Ginella recently confirmed she wasn't asked back to 'RHOC' by the network.
After being iced out from most of the second half of Season 19, it was uncertain what was going to happen to Ginella going forward.
Four days ago, she took to Instagram to share a decision had been made.
"After two seasons as a cast member on RHOC, the network has decided to move forward with Season 20 without me," she wrote.
"While disappointing, it's not entirely surprising after seeing how Season 19 played out. I'm incredibly grateful for the love and support I received – it was seen, felt, and deeply appreciated.
"Representation matters, and I'm proud to have shown up authentically, even when it wasn't easy. This chapter may be closing, but my voice and my story don't end here."
What About Vicki Gunvalson?
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Vicki Gunvalson was asked by Andy Cohen to rejoin the show at 2025's BravoCon.
As Radar previously reported, Gunvalson was invited to return to the franchise by Bravo head honcho Andy Cohen at BravoCon 2025.
"Vicki, would you join us as a housewife for Season 20?" he asked her while onstage at The Bravos award show.
Gunvalson quickly accepted.
While rumors came out after the fact alleging she was willing to pay the network to come back, Gunvalson categorically denied them to Radar.
"That's a lie," she declared. "Someone is clearly sitting in bed thinking of lies and drama to make up.
"I don’t need to be on TV. I've been off for four years and have been doing great."
