Reality television changed forever when Bravo debuted the Real Housewives franchise. The Real Housewives of Orange County was the first city. Insurance professional and businesswoman Vicki Gunvalson was among the cast for the first season. She stayed on the show through a divorce, a toxic relationship that threatened her relationship with her children, and more.
She was demoted in 2020 to a “friend” role. But after years of fans begging, she’s back with an orange for the upcoming Season 20. She slammed “lies” about her return to Bravo.
OG Returns To RHOC
Andy Cohen had a huge surprise for BravoCon attendees in Las Vegas, Nevada, in November. He brought the “OG of the OC,” Vicki Gunvalson, to the stage and presented her with an orange. The Bravo host asked if she wanted to return to RHOC for its upcoming 20th season.
She didn’t hesitate when saying yes. Vicki Gunvalson recently revealed that filming begins in early 2026. Not only that, she spilled all the details on the other new Bravo show she’s filming around the same time.
Vicki Gunvalson Slams ‘Lies’ About Her Return To Bravo
Bravo viewers have been begging for Vicki Gunvalson to come back and “whoop it up” again. But not everyone is happy to see the OG return. Vile rumors about the OG Bravo star circulated online. One claim alleged that Vicki Gunvalson paid Bravo to bring her back.
Radar Online caught up with the RHOC star to get her take on the rumors. “That’s a lie! Someone is clearly sitting in bed thinking of lies and drama to make up,” she said.
Vicki Gunvalson added, “I don’t need to be on TV. I’ve been off for four years and have been doing great.”
She Denies Dumping Boyfriend For Show
RHOC viewers have had front-row seats to Vicki Gunvalson’s love life. She was married to her second husband, Donn Gunvalson, when the Bravo show premiered. Their divorce aired on the reality show. She later started dating Brooks Ayers and lost friendship after friendship amid claims he lied about having cancer.
They eventually split up, and she dated Steve Lodge for a while. Vicki Gunvalson has been in a relationship with Michael Smith since 2022. Fans could get a glimpse inside their relationship when cameras pick up for Season 20. However, another outlandish claim circulating online is that she broke up with her boyfriend for a storyline for the upcoming season.
“My boyfriend and I are not breaking up because of this show,” she told Radar Online. She also denied being “scared” of her former friend and co-star, Tamra Judge. The two had a huge falling out in 2024 but recently reconnected.
The RHOC star had a clear message to her “haters”: “These people need a life and leave me out of their drama,” she said. Tell us in the comments if you believe her when she said she didn’t pay Bravo to get her job back.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
