Over the years, the Real Housewives franchise has become a behemoth. Any number of cities is airing new episodes on Bravo (and streaming with a Peacock subscription), some of which are among the best reality shows ever. One show that recently ended its season is The Real Housewives of Orange County, which had a solid year of drama, largely surrounding Shannon Beador's DUI. Season 18 also saw the return of Alexis Bellino who has recently confirmed her firing and shared her reaction. Someone play the theme song!
The Real Housewives of Orange County was the first entry into the franchise, and it's still going strong to this day. Alexis returned as a friend in Season 18, and spent the whole season defending John Janssen and feuding with Shannon. While appearing on the podcast Going Rogue, Bellino revealed she won't be back for the 19th season of the long-running reality show. In her words:
I was not asked back next season... I can’t say it came as a shock, it did not come as a shock. The timing because it was noon I was not prepared. I didn’t think contracts were coming out — like, I thought we had more time. … It was a shock when the call came, but I was never shocked about that information.
Well, that was honest. Bellino is being real about what it was like to be fired by Bravo, or as Dorinda Medley calls it, being "on pause". And while she saw it coming, actually getting the call was seemingly a shock for the 47 year-old television personality. I mean, no one want to be fired.
Bellino's return to RHOC hasn't exactly been embraced by the fans online. Both the audience and the cast itself got sick of her feud with Shannon throughout Season 18, and she was notably left out of a number of big events, including their trip to London. Later in that same podcast appearance, Alexis spoke about the upside to her firing, offering:
It was a little bit of a relief. 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.
Points were made. She's been let go by Bravo once before, so it was probably easier this time around. Plus, she never actually became a full-blown Housewife again, and was only fired after returning as a friend. Alas, we shouldn't expect Bellino (who was nicknamed "Jesus Jugs" by the villainous Tamra Judge) to face off against the other women on screen soon. We'll just have to wait and see if she gets booked on another reality TV show, as she's popped up in a number of other programs over the years.
Bravo is currently airing new episodes of Potomac, Beverly Hills, New York City, and Salt Lake City. For now, check the 2025 TV premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
