Earlier this week, Kelly Dodd reignited speculation that she wouldn’t be back for season 16 of The Real Housewives of Orange County.
Dodd raised eyebrows after she updated her Instagram bio to read: “Proud veteran castmember of #RHOC” hours after she was fired by the Positive Beverage company over her controversial COVID comments.
But sources reveal that Rick Leventhal was to blame. While the Bravo reality star has since changed her bio back to “proud castmember of #RHOC,” a source close to the couple reveals that the Fox News senior correspondent was behind the initial modification.
“Rick made the edit Sunday to remove the beverage reference and added ‘veteran’ to reflect Kelly’s longtime tenure on the show,” the source told Us Weekly. “He never intended to suggest she’s no longer a cast member because she is still with the RHOC franchise.”
However, Dodd is reportedly expecting to be fired from RHOC. She is “expecting to be fired from the show, a source told E! News, noting “nothing has been confirmed” just yet.
“Although she would love to stay on the show, she has come to terms with it,” the source continued. “She knows it's coming.”
The mother-of-one has faced backlash for her recent controversial comments, including those about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The source continued, “Kelly stands by her opinions and thinks the show is favoring the other ladies,” specifically Braunwyn Windham-Burke. According to the insider, Dodd “feels she is definitely being pushed out.”
Photo Credit: Rick Leventhal and Kelly Dodd. Courtesy Rick Leventhal/Instagram