Is Vicki Gunvalson Returning for Real Housewives of Orange County Season 18? She Says...
Will the O.G. of the O.C. be back for another season?
After making several cameos on The Real Housewives of Orange County earlier this year, former cast member Vicki Gunvalson revealed whether or not fans can expect to see her on the upcoming 18th season of the Bravo series.
"They haven't provided a contract," the longtime Bravolebrity exclusively told E! News at Jeff Lewis' Hollywood Houselift season two premiere party Dec. 6. "If I hung on, they're giving it some stability, right? Because otherwise all they do is fight. That's not fun to watch. I want to show strength and encouragement and inspiration to win. That you can do it all and you can have it all and you can grow old gracefully."
As she quipped, "You don't have to throw napkins in people's faces and swear at people."
While Vicki said she's "open to talking about" a return with the network, she's fine with either outcome.
"If it's not meant to be, it won't be," the 61-year-old shared. "I've got really great things in store. I'm a believer in God, what's meant to be to be. And God's going to open doors for me. And if it's not this, another bigger door will blow open."
Vicki starred as a main cast member on RHOC for 14 years until she was demoted in 2020 and briefly left the show. She's since made cameos on seasons 16 and 17.
The insurance agent was even honored for her contribution to Bravo history last month at BravoCon 2023.
"I just got the Wifetime Achievement Award," she noted to E!. "Maybe that was my exit award. I don't know."
Meanwhile, Vicki is very content in her personal life as she approaches the second anniversary of dating her boyfriend Michael Smith next month.
"We're happy," she gushed. "I'm so scared of falling in love and getting hurt again. So, we've taken it very slow and we're good friends. We love each other and I'm just at a good place in my life. I'm not rushing anything. I don't need to get married—neither does he."
However, Vicki noted that tying the knot with Michael is "on my bucket list."
"I want to be married again," said Vicki, who was previously married to Michael J. Wolfsmith from 1982 to 1991 and Donn Gunvalson from 1994 to 2014. "I like marriage. I like monogamy, I like stability. I'm not a dater. I'm not scared, but I want to be sure it's right."
Keep reading for E!'s definitive ranking of every Real Housewife in Bravo history. Season two of Hollywood Houselift with Jeff Lewis is streaming now on Amazon Freevee.
Bravo's ill-fated attempt at highlighting our nation's capital brought together four women so forgettable you'd be forgiven for erasing them from your memory—though their names are Mary Amons, Lynda Erkiletian, Cat Ommanney and Stacie Scott Turner—and one so desperate for fame that she gate-crashed a party at the White House. More on her later.
Who?
Vaguely familiar, but...
Once upon a time, DeShawn starred on the same TV show as NeNe Leakes. Surprising, we know.
This one-season Housewife brought nothing to the Orange County table.
Utah's newest season two Housewife went out with a bang (and not in a good way). In January 2022, Jennie was fired after "offensive" and racially insensitive old Facebook posts resurfaced online. Jennie later apologized but the damage was done.
Her defining trait was "cougar."
The Orange County doctor was never a source of drama during season 16 and her brief marriage troubles with eternally shirtless husband Ryne (or Ryan?) were less than riveting. However, we will never forget Dr. Jen getting absolutely wasted on wine during the Dubrows' insanely awkward—yet wildly entertaining—dinner party.
Katie loved to talk about her charity work, but...didn't do much else on screen. She was one and done, only to come back and not contribute much as a friend. Leaving the cast trip early? A Housewives no-no.
Her marriage problems were on full display the two seasons she was a full-time Housewife...that and her champagne room are the two memorable things about Charrisse.
A one-and-done Housewife, Shamari was at least fun?
While it was nice to see some diversity in the lily-white O.C., Peggy ultimately proved to be a frustrating presence in season 12. The fights she chose to pick were bizarre, and often involving someone using a word she simply didn't understand, and her decision to simply hide out in her room for an entire day during the trip to Iceland proved that she wasn't really cut out for this Real Housewives life.
Noella spun through season 16 like a tornado of frantic energy. While her personal struggles were somewhat compelling (her husband James up and left the country and asked for a divorce right before filming started), it was her constant drama with queen bee Heather Dubrow that helped her not land completely at the bottom of the list. Maybe with more time and another season, we'll warm up to Mrs. Bergener.
From peacekeeper in her first season to unrelenting complaints about a thrown cake and unfounded claims of anti-Semitism in her second (and last) season, we're not sure we've ever seen a quicker Real Housewives fall from grace than this one.
The America's Next Top Model veteran picked up a peach for seasons 11 and 12, but never really made an impression in the world of RHOA, aside from being pregnant for what felt like her entire tenure. Points for that epic read of Marlo Hampton while in Tokyo, though.
All we remember about Karent is that she was a dentist and none of her co-stars seemed to like her at all. Next!
This was a real person with a show on Bravo. We promise.
As one of RHONY's more recent one-and-dones, Jules' tenure was too brief to rank any higher. However, she sure did deliver her fair share of drama.
So unnecessary they couldn't even get individual taglines.
Everything Amber and her husband Jim did seemed to reek of desperation. Plus, he was involved in more of the drama than she was. Not a good look.
Much like co-star Sara Al Madani, Nina exemplified a multidimensional, successful Arab woman who is blending modern life with centuries-old cultural traditions. She avoided most of the season one drama and was sometimes overshadowed by her co-stars' bigger, louder personalities.
Sara's positive, enlightened outlook on life was certainly pleasant, but didn't provide for much drama (besides that one time she offered co-star Caroline Brooks some not-so-well received parenting advice). However, the tech entrepreneur shattered stereotypes of what it means to be a modern Muslim woman in the Middle East and for that we applaud her.
RHONJ's season 13 newbies certainly fit the mold of your typical Garden State Housewife and quickly found themselves in a season-long fight over literally nothing that Andy Cohen deemed pointless at the reunion. We'd love to see both return for season 14 for a chance to move up even higher on the list after an entertaining first go-around.
Larsa didn't make a big impression on season one before leaving the series. When Peacock revived RHOM for season four in 2021, her whole storyline was about being the ex-BFF of Kim Kardashian. (and selling sexy feet pics on OnlyFans...)
Ana followed up her one season as a Bravolebrity by competing on season 12 of Next Food Network Star in 2016. She didn't make it there, either.
Unfortunately, she was nothing more than a punching bag for Brandi Glanville. Plus, her tagline celebrating the icky notion that you can never be too skinny was gross.
Cindy was supposed to be the new Bethenny Frankel. Cindy was no Bethenny Frankel.
Brooks' gift to season one of RHODubai was a cameo from Real Housewives of Atlanta alum Phaedra Parks, who popped up on one episode to get all the tea on the co-stars' drama. However, Brooks did cause a lot of unnecessary drama during season one (much of which occurred while she was a little too tipsy).
Lisa was a perfectly fine Housewife, but we don't want just fine. Not when she's sharing the screen with the likes of NeNe and Sheree Whitfield.
The first LGBT Housewife ever cast on a Housewives series, Julia is truly fascinating. From being married to tennis legend Martina Navratilova and raising dozens of animals on a Miami farm, to her epic Hamptons hangover, Julia has everything a good Housewife needs. She also didn't shy away from opening up about the death of her baby son, pulling on our heartstrings and making us feel even closer to her. We love us some Julia.
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