We didn’t have The Real Housewives of Orange County staging a return to form on our bingo card, but the series shifted gears in a big way in 2023.
After solving most of its casting woes and delivering one of the strongest seasons in years, we’re now looking ahead to RHOC Season 18.
For the first time in a long time, we can’t wait to see what’s on tap for the ladies as they navigate some genuinely shocking things going on in their lives.
Of course, one of the biggest storylines involves the aftermath of Shannon Beador’s arrest for a DUI hit and run in September 2023.
The series didn’t start filming the current season until months later, and the show will attempt to capture the process of Beador picking up the pieces.
Sadly, it sounds like she’ll face an uphill battle as far as most of her co-stars are concerned.
Shannon Beador has plenty of drama on the horizon
We know her years-long friendship with Tamra Judge has hit another snag, and they’re now on the outs again.
Although we’ve witnessed their back and forth on the show for years, something’s shifted in their relationship that prevents them from moving on as friends.
We expect that part of that is due to Alexis Bellino’s return.
You see, Bellino is now dating Beador’s ex-boyfriend, John Janssen, which caught the attention of producers who brought her back after years away.
That means we’ll likely see her and Beador facing off, and there will be some shocking scenes as Judge seems to have turned her back on her one-time friend.
Vicki Gunvalson is back
How will that translate to the screen? We’re not sure, but given that Vicki Gunvalson is also returning as Beador’s friend, there’s a good chance the cast will be split.
Bellino and Janssen said in a recent interview that they’d rather not hurt Beador, so there’s no telling what will happen on-screen.
Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson, Heather Dubrow, and Jennifer Pedranti are also set to return from the previous season, but there will also be some new additions in the mix.
Kirschenheiter is set to go at it with a new cast member named Katie Ginella, but there’s no telling what their argument is about.
Plenty of cameos ahead
There’s also a cameo from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Sutton Stracke, so it sounds like we’re in for a good season.
Even better? Recent reports have suggested the series could be back on the air as early as July.
With so many filming spoilers already leaking, there’s bound to be more we don’t know about the show that will play out as it airs.
The Real Housewives of Orange County is currently on hiatus. Season 18 is set to premiere this summer on Bravo.