Heather Dubrow is shutting down rumors that she is the reason why Bravo fired Kelly Dodd from The Real Housewives of Orange County.
The actress turned reality star addressed the rumors swirling that she only agreed to return to the Bravo hit reality series if they gave Dodd the boot.
“I think you would know that anyone that thinks they have that kind of power on a show like this is really very misguided,” she told E! News’ Daily Pop, according to Page Six.
She added, “Having said that, when I left the show I felt like the culture of the show was changing and it wasn’t really in line with who I am or something that I felt comfortable in.”
Dubrow explained that she wanted to guarantee the show was going to be moving into a direction that was “helpful, not harmful” to her and her family before agreeing to rejoin the series.
“I definitely wanted to make sure that the show was going to be moving into a direction … because they said they wanted to reboot it,” she told E! News. “That’s no secret. So I wanted to make sure that it was moving in a direction that I could thrive in, that would be successful and would be beneficial to my family.”
The news comes after it was revealed last month that Kelly Dodd, Braunwyn Windham-Burke, and Elizabeth Lyn Vargas were not asked to return to RHOC for the show's upcoming Season 16. According to reports, Bravo decided not to renew their contracts.
A spokesperson confirmed the news to Variety about Windhand-Burke, Lyn Vargas, and Dodd’s departures.
Shannon Storms Beador, Gina Kirschenheiter, and Emily Simpson, however, are all returning for Season 16. They will be joined by former Housewife Heather Dubrow, who originally left the series in 2017 after five seasons. Variety added that one or two new women will also join the cast.
However, it was reported that Braunwyn’s best friend Noella Bergener is joining the cast for Season 16 after Windham-Burke’s firing.
“Noella is coming on board as a cast member for the new season, though Braunwyn will not be returning,” a source told The Sun. “They tested her out before the firing decisions were made. She has good chemistry with other potential new cast members.”
Days later the identity of a new cast member was revealed. The Bravo Gur reported that Nicole James is joining the cast of Season 16.
“Filming for Season 16 of The Real Housewives of Orange County is set to begin this month and here’s an update on the new cast shakeup‼️” The outlet continued, “It is rumored that Noella Bergener and Nicole James will be the new housewives joining the show next season. The new girls have connections with Heather who will most likely introduce them to the group.”
The page added, “Season 16 of The Real Housewives of Orange County is expected to premiere on Bravo at a later date. Filming begins very soon!”
Also, multiple online outlets have announced the news that Dr. Jennifer Armstrong has joined the cast. Instagram fan page Dorinda Deadly reported the following: “MEET DR JEN ARMSTRONG. Jen will be joining Heather, Shannon, Emily, Gina, Nicole and Noella as the 7th official housewife for Season 16! Located in Newport Beach, Jen is an award winning cosmetic and aesthetic doctor. She shares 3 children with her husband Ryne. #RHOC🍊”
That’s not all. It’s also being reported that Tamra Judge is also returning to RHOC as a “friend.”
Photo Credit: Bravo Media/NBCUniversal (2)
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