The Real Housewives of Orange County without Vicki Gunvalson?
It seems almost inconceivable that the OG of the OC would ever walk away from the the franchise she helped create 10 years and 11 seasons ago, but after the rough time she had filming season 10, she wasn't so sure she was ready to step back into the lions den for another go round. Sitting down with E! News' Melanie Bromley, Vicki admitted that the alienation and betrayal she felt from her co-stars in response to her then-boyfriend Brooks Ayers' fake cancer claims nearly did her in.
"I didn't [think I'd return.] I didn't think I had the strength," she revealed, before adding, "But you know what, my story wasn't finished. I'm not gonna end as a victim."
While the idea of returning wasn't ideal, less ideal was allowing the ladies to talk about her and Brooks on camera and not be there to defend herself. "I'm not going to let these women have the last say-so in what they believe the truth was," she said. "I know my truth."
Stepping back into the arena with frenemies Tamra Judge, Heather Dubrow, Shannon Beador, and Meghan King Edmond was awkward at first, Vicki said, but the season turned around for her once she met new cast mate Kelly Dodd. Initially introduced to the ladies as Meghan's friend, it seems Kelly bonded with Vicki pretty darn quick. "I think what we're gonna see this season is it definitely starts off very awkward, but the best part of this season is we have a new cast member," Vicki said about her new friend. "She bring a whole lot of opinions and I love her. We have a great relationship."
As for her old BFF Tamra turning on her last season, Vicki admitted that she wasn't surprised. In her eyes, she was due for some of Tamra's wrath. "I think that's how she wants to be portrayed, as a lasher-outer or a s--t-stirrer or whatever people want to call it. She did it to Alexis [Bellino], she did it to Gretchen [Rossi], she did it to Jeana [Keough]. She's done it to every single cast member. Who does she have left? She goes after me because I'm the OG of the OC, so she's going to try to go after me when she can."
Tune in to E! News on Monday at 7 and 11 p.m. for our exclusive multi-part sit-down with Vicki to hear the whole truth about Brooks, Tamra, and season 11.
The Real Housewives of Orange County returns Monday, June 20 at 9 p.m. on Bravo.
(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)