Also among those whose will reportedly be joining the Bravo reality show again for upcoming season 16 are Shannon Beador, Gina Kirschenheiter and Emily Simpson.
- Jun 16, 2021
AceShowbiz - There is a huge casting shakeup on "The Real Housewives of Orange County". In upcoming season 16 of the Bravo reality show, fans will reportedly not see Kelly Dodd, Braunwyn Windham-Burke and Elizabeth Lyn Vargas as they will not be part of the production. TMZ is the first to report the exit.
While it is currently unknown if the three ladies were let go by the network or the decision was mutual, Kelly confirmed her exit on Twitter. "The last five years have been an amazing experience. The next five years will be even better. I am so grateful for all the love and support and so excited about the future #RHOC," so she penned.
Windham-Burke, meanwhile, talked about her "revolutionary" time on the show in a statement to PEOPLE. "I'm incredibly sad to not be able to come back to 'The Real Housewives of Orange County' next year. I loved every moment of being a Housewife, and am so proud of my time on the show - the good, the bad, and the in-between. It feels revolutionary to say, but I was able to get sober and stay sober on reality TV," she shared.
"That something for which I will forever be grateful. And I came out, becoming the first gay Housewife in the franchise's history. What an incredible honor to look back upon, especially during Pride Month," she added. "I know I may have been too much for some, and that's okay. I am real, and I am happy being me. I'm so grateful to those who have stood by me. There is a lot more to my life, and I hope you'll stick with me on this journey as I move forward in my next chapter."
With three cast members departing from the show, some other former cast members reportedly will be making a return for the next season. Among those whose will be joining the show again are Shannon Beador, Gina Kirschenheiter and Emily Simpson. It is also said that Heather Dubrow will be returning to the series after previously starring in seasons 7 to 11.
Heather hinted at returning to the series in an interview last year. "Honestly, I would never say never, you just don't know what life is gonna throw your way," she claimed on "Behind The Velvet Rope with David Yontef" podcast. "Or how circumstances change or what you feel like doing. I don't even know what that set of circumstances would look like."
