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Credit: Janet Mayer/startraksphoto.com, Instagram

Heather Dubrow reacted to Gina Kirschenheiter outing her for being behind Emily Simpson‘s reveal of Katie Ginella‘s custody issues on Thursday night’s episode of Watch What Happens Live.

After Gina, 41, shared on a previous WWHL episode that Heather, 56, had given the information to Emily, 49, ahead of The Real Housewives of Orange County season 18 reunion, Heather set the record straight while also reacting to Tamra Judge, 57, quitting, addressing Tamra’s potential friendship with Gretchen Rossi, 46, speaking of Katie’s feud with Shannon Beador, 61, and more.

“Let’s be clear: I have never researched anyone; that is not my thing. I don’t dig up dirt on people,” Heather began on the August 14 episode of WWHL. “There were a lot of stories that had come out about Katie between the end of filming and the reunion, just a lot of articles, Ok! Magazine, Page Six, all the things. We were all sending them to each other, so that just happens to be the one I sent to Emily. It’s not any more salacious than that.”

“When things come out about us, they all pass ’em around,” she added. “[And] I’m not mad at it. I get it.”

On Thursday’s episode of RHOC, amid a trip to New Orleans, Tamra declared she was “done.” And as she reflected on the tense moment, Heather admitted to being “completely shocked” by her co-star’s (temporary) exit and public statement.

“I thought I missed something. It was like reading a book, and you skipped a chapter. And did I think she quit? Yes. And no … It’s like her implants. They always come back,” she laughed.

According to Heather, she “missed a lot of the signs” leading up to Tamra’s departure, but she felt she should give her grace in that moment due to what Tamra was going through at the time, including the reveal of Teddi Mellencamp‘s brain cancer.

“When you see a friend, because I see comments where people are like, ‘What does she have on you?’ We’re friends. We’ve been friends for over 15 years … And when you see a friend going through something traumatic, you gotta give them some grace,” she explained. “And even if you don’t agree with everything that’s going on, you still have to be there for them and supportive.”

As for her friendship with Gretchen, Heather said it was “very stressful” being in the middle of her feuding castmates.

“It’s always stressful to be between two people. That’s just the way it is, but I’m doing my best,” she stated, confirming she believes Tamra truly wants to move forward with Gretchen.

“I actually do … I wish that conversation in the hallway had more time because I think Gretchen was explaining herself, and I think they could’ve gotten somewhere good,” she reasoned.

Then, when asked if she felt Katie’s actions warranted the level of hate she’s gotten from Shannon, Heather signaled Katie’s recording, and the claims that she shared it with Alexis Bellino, 48.

“I think it wasn’t, I mean, the taping wasn’t good, but it was the playing it for Alexis that really pushed it over the edge,” she explained. 

Also on the live broadcast, during a game of “Agree or Disagree,” Heather agreed that Tamra was more trustworthy than Katie, 41, that Alexis and John Janssen‘s marriage would last, and that Tamra and Gretchen would ultimately overcome their issues and be close.

Later, on the WWHL: After Show, Heather answered a couple more questions from fans, including someone who wanted to know if she felt it was fair of Shannon to refuse to film with Katie when she agreed to film with Alexis for season 18.

“I mean, there are so many layers to all of these stories. But I do think, just as a group, it’s really important that we learn how to get along,” Heather replied. “[And] I can only do so much.”

A second viewer asked Heather if it was hypocritical of the cast to be upset with Katie for recording Shannon when Kelly Dodd, 49, had previously been recorded without issue.

“At that time, we didn’t have producers with us all the time, and they told us, especially that night, they said, ‘If anything happens, please pick up your phone and film it,’” she explained. “Now we have producer cams and producers, but we didn’t have that.”

“[And] there was no hidden camera. It was right there,” Heather added.

The Real Housewives of Orange County season 19 airs Thursdays at 8/7c on Bravo.