Alexis Bellino Announces Exit fromThe Real Housewives of Orange County: 'I Was Not Asked Back'

Mar. 15, 2025

Alexis Bellino.Photo:Nicole Weingart/Bravo via Getty

Nicole Weingart/Bravo via Getty

Alexis Bellinowill not be a part ofThe Real Housewives of Orange County’s upcoming nineteenth season.

The reality star announced her exit from the franchise while guest-hosting theGoing Roguepodcast, in an episode that dropped early on Friday, Dec. 20.

“I was not asked back next season,” she told guestsRoxy Earle(ofThe Real Housewives of Toronto) andCarlos King(of theReality with the Kingpodcast).

Bellino — who first made her debut onRHOCin season 4 and left after season 8 — hadreturned to the hit Bravo show for season 17 after a 10-year absence, this time in a Friend-of role. And while a few, including executive producerAndy Cohen, celebrated her comeback, many of the fans turned on the mother of three as she butted heads with longtime HousewifeShannon Storms Beador.

Tamra Judge and Alexis Bellino on season 18 of ‘The Real Housewives of Orange County’.Nicole Weingart/Bravo via Getty

The two had plenty of reasons to be at odds. For one, Alexis' ex-husband Jim Bellinosued Storms Beadorfor defamation in 2018 —a legal battle Storms Beador eventually wonin October 2020, but that came at the cost of lost hundreds of thousands of dollars she spent defending herself.

Oh… and then there’s the fact thatAlexis is currently engagedto Beador’s ex-boyfriend,John Janssen.

Amanda Edwards/Getty

So it should come as no surprise to fans that Alexis won’t be returning. In fact, she herself said she was expecting it.

“I can’t say it came as a shock, it did not come as a shock,” Alexis said onGoing Rogue. “It was a hard conversation. … I guess I wasn’t really prepared [because] I didn’t think contracts were coming out — like, I thought we had more time. … [So] it was a shock when the call came, but I was never shocked about that information.”

“It was a little bit of a relief," she added. “I mean nobody wants the rejection, and no one wants to [hear] you’re not asked back. But it already happened to me. It happened to me in season 8. I’ve been there, done that!”

Alexis Bellino on ‘Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen’.Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty

Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty

In addition to Alexis, Storms Beador, Dubrow and Judge, season 18 ofRHOCalso starredEmily Simpson,Gina Kirschenheiter,Jennifer Pedrantiand newcomerKatie Ginella

Bravo famously does not comment on casting, but a source tells PEOPLE filming for season 19 ofRHOCis expected to begin in January, with all others returning.

“I didn’t know after that scene, how do I fit in?” Alexis explained. “I still thought there might be a way they can make it work for everybody to come back. But you know, the cards played the way they did.”

“How do they bring someone back who is not a fan favorite vs. the fan favorite?” she noted, of Storms Beador’s popularity. “And I get that.”

‘The Real Housewives of Orange County’ season 18 cast: Katie Ginella, Gina Kirschenheiter, Heather Dubrow, Shannon Storms Beador, Tamra Judge, Emily Simpson and Jennifer Pedranti.Sami Drasin/Bravo via Getty

Sami Drasin/Bravo via Getty

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Despite the outcome, there is something Alexis can be proud of when it comes to her time back onRHOC.She helped the series bring in its biggest audience in five years,TheWrapreported earlier this month.

According to the outlet, which cited Nielsen live-plus-35-day multiplatform viewing figures, season 18 averaged 3.1 million total viewers and 1.6 million viewers within the 18-49 demo.

Both the show’s highest total and demo viewership saw a 5% uptick when compared to last season. The success boosted the show to rank within 2024’s Top 15 entertainment series in the 18-49 demo.

All seasons ofThe Real Housewives of Orange Countycan be streamed on Peacock.

source: people.com