Ex-'RHOC' Star Vicki Gunvalson Back To Help Shake Up 'Slow' Season 17, Spotted Filming With Tamra Judge & Shannon Beador
Sept. 29 2022, Published 3:30 p.m. ET
The OG of the OC is back! Vicki Gunvalson will make an appearance on the upcoming season of The Real Housewives of Orange County, and RadarOnline.com has all the details.
Vicki recently filmed over lunch with her former Tres Amigas Tamra Judge and Shannon Beador. Sources tell RadarOnline.com that the season was starting off "slow," so Bravo producers decided to bring her in to shake things up.
But don't expect to see her in every episode throughout the season. We can exclusively reveal that Vicki only filmed that one scene.
If you know the drama behind the trio, then you know the producers made the right call. Vicki and Tamra have accused Shannon of ditching their friendship after the pair announced their departure from the franchise following season 14.
"As soon as we're not on the show anymore, she just doesn't have any time for us anymore and it really just kind of hurts my feelings," Tamra revealed in 2020. "It came to a point where me and Vicki really went through some hard times, when neither one of us were gonna go back to the show, we really went through, what is our identity? Who are we? … I just kind of felt like I never got that, like, 'How are you doing? How are you feeling?' kind of thing."
But Shannon had a different story.
"I dispute what they've said," she shot back. "I am not the person to sink down to a level to argue with people -- that I consider close friends -- in the press or on social media. That's not who I am, that's not what I'm made of, so I just feel like I have a little bit more decorum than they do. I don't wanna engage with them, except to say that the things that they've been saying, especially Tamra, it's a laundry list of things that aren't true."
As RadarOnline.com exclusively reported on June 1, Tamra was asked to return to RHOC for Season 17, but Vicki — who had held an orange since Season 1 — was not.
She spoke out about her disappointment following the news.
"It hurt. It stings a little bit — actually, a lot," Vicki stated, adding the reason she was let go from the franchise was over money.
"I did get expensive. I'm okay with that. I'm worth it," she added. "The ratings were the best they've ever been when we were on. You get what you pay for!"
Besides Tamra, Shannon, and Vicki (on one episode), RadarOnline.com can confirm the Season 17 cast will also include Heather "Fancy Pants" Dubrow, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson, and franchise hopper Taylor Armstrong.