In a stunning turn of events, Vicki Gunvalson is out and Tamra Judge are leaving The Real Housewives of Orange County as well.
Now, reports talk about who’s being invited back … and which surprising Housewife producers are grooming to be the #1 star.
First of all, let’s start with Shannon Beador.
The mother of three is expected back, and with Tamra gone and Vicki gone, she’ll be the Una Amiga, alone against the world.
That said, way fewer people have any beef with her … if she’s sticking around. That has been up in the air for a while.
But when Andy Cohen spoke about Tamra and Vicki, he ended up confirming that they had asked Shannon back.
Now, a report from celebrity gossip site Hollywood Life claims to have confirmed Shannon’s return for Season 15.
This will be a wildly different dynamic for Beador this year.
After all, Shannon has lived in the dramatic shadow of both Tamra and Vicki for a long time. (Haven’t we all.)
Now, she’ll have to find her role in the new, "shaken up" cast – but we’re sure that she’ll miss her friends.
You know who won’t be missing Vicki or Tamra? Kelly Dodd.
Kelly has reportedly also been asked to return, and we cannot help but imagine her cackling with glee at the vanquishing of her archrival.
She is said to be brimming with enthusiasm for this new season.
That said, some cannot help but wonder if her star will shine as brightly without Vicki or Tamra as her enemies.
Shannon, of course, will have to work through her issues with Kelly.
Despite the incident in 2019 when Kelly played whack-a-mole on Shannon’s head, the two have had an easier relationship – relatively speaking.
But things will be different for Shannon without Vicki and Tamra.
That said, things will also be different for Shannon when she’s not serving as the go-between for those two and Kelly.
She can be her own person. Speaking of Housewives who are their own people, this brings us to Braunwyn Windham-Burke.
She was spotted filming (something!) before official news of who had made or not made the cut was even released.
On another note, Radar Online now reports that not only is Braunwyn returning, she’s set to take on a central role.
"Braunwyn is going to be the star of the show now," the insider quoted by the celeb news publication claims.
It’s not really a mystery why Braunwyn might be asked to step in and fill the shoes of Vicki and Tamra.
She displayed a willingness to do and discuss matters that many other Housewives have considered to be too private.
Braunwyn’s frank threesome discussions ended up creating an entire plotline on the show that culminated in her makeout with Tamra.
What’s more is that it was a plotline about something other than feuding, which was a breath of fresh air for Season 14.
Apparently, real estate played a role in determining Braunwyn’s eligibility, as "The producers said her new house is definitely RHOC material."
Braunwyn is very much a newcomer to the franchise. So far, her friendships have been limited – though she vibes well with Kelly Dodd.
In Season 15, that will allegedly change.
According to a source close to production, "They’ve recruited her friends in the casting pool to build a clique around her."
Now, Andy himself referred to keeping Shannon on the show, so that much is reasonably safe to consider "confirmed."
The rest stems from reports that we cannot verify, but they sound very realisitc.
Bravo wanted to shake up the cast, which is not the same thing as starting over entirely. Kelly, Shannon, and Braunwyn have a lot to offer.
And hey, if Season 15 bombs, there’s a more than decent chance that Vicki and/or Tamra could be asked back.
It worked for NeNe. …