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Credit: Bravo
Gretchen Rossi will not be making a return for the upcoming 20th season of The Real Housewives of Orange County.
Just weeks after Katie Ginella, 41, revealed her dismissal from the show, and some months following Andy Cohen, 57, handing Vicki Gunvalson, 63, an orange at BravoCon, an insider has confirmed Gretchen’s departure. Additionally, the source explained how Tamra Judge, 58, managed to retain her spot and identified which other cast members are returning.
On January 27, Variety officially announced Gretchen’s exit, linking it to a scandal from season 19. The controversy involved her being confronted over Instagram screenshots allegedly showing her support for transphobic, anti-abortion, and anti-vaccine sentiments.
Despite Gretchen’s efforts to distance herself from the controversy—claiming her posts had been altered and that she had enlisted a cyber analyst to prove it—the evidence was insufficient, leading to her falling out with several cast members.
As for Tamra’s return, she was said to have been saved by her potential storyline surrounding the falling out of the “tres amigas,” which included her, Vicki, and Shannon Beador, 61.
Also returning to the series for its milestone season are Heather Dubrow, 57, Emily Simpson, 50, Gina Kirschenheiter, and Jennifer Pedranti, 48.
As RHOC fans will recall, Katie confirmed her exit from the show earlier this month on Instagram.
“After two seasons as a cast member on RHOC, the network has decided to move forward with Season 20 without me. While disappointing, it’s not entirely surprising after seeing how Season 19 played out,” she wrote in a January 9 statement. “I’m incredibly grateful for the love and support I received — it was seen, felt, and deeply appreciated. Representation matters, and I’m proud to have shown up authentically, even when it wasn’t easy. This chapter may be closing, but my voice and my story don’t end there.”
The Real Housewives of Orange County season 20 is expected to begin filming “soon,” per Variety.