The long-simmering feud between Tamra Judge and Shannon Beador has dramatically escalated, spilling over onto the set of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip and resulting in significant consequences for both reality television stars.
Explosive Altercation at Bunco Party
Sources confirm that the longtime frenemies engaged in what has been described as an 'explosive' fight while filming a guest appearance for the popular spin-off series. The altercation occurred during a Bunco party in Orange County, where the cast were filming alongside numerous past and present wives from The Real Housewives of Orange County.
An insider revealed that the confrontation was initiated by Judge and Real Housewives of Potomac star Gizelle Bryant, who began provoking Beador. 'Tamra and Gizelle started poking at Shannon and of course she reacted as she always does, and then it just spiralled from there,' the source stated. 'Everybody thought it was going to be a fun party to celebrate RHOC, so the drama took everybody by surprise.'
Immediate Repercussions from Bravo
As a direct result of this heated exchange, Bravo executives made the decision to remove both Judge and Beador from their scheduled appearance at the RHUGT finale. This significant event was filmed at Dorinda Medley's renowned Bluestone Manor and featured an impressive gathering of legendary Housewives from across the entire franchise.
Despite this setback, the contentious pair are destined to cross paths again very soon, as filming commences for The Real Housewives of Orange County's landmark 20th season in a matter of days.
Vicki Gunvalson's Cautious Return
The upcoming season marks the highly anticipated return of original RHOC star Vicki Gunvalson, who has expressed her desire to present a more positive version of herself this time around. A source close to Gunvalson explained, 'Vicki's in a great place in her life and doesn't want to go backwards or have any toxicity. She just wants to have a good time and wants the fans to see where she's at in her life now.'
The source added, 'She doesn't want to be in the middle of another fight between Shannon and Tamra, so she's hoping that the tres amigas can get back together and have some fun this season.' Gunvalson will be joining existing cast members Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson, Heather Dubrow, and Jennifer Pedranti, while Katie Ginella and Gretchen Rossi will not be returning.
Cast Changes and Speculation
While most of the season 20 cast consists of veteran Housewives, there is considerable speculation that at least one new Housewife will be introduced to the mix to maintain freshness and dynamism. Real Housewives of New Jersey OG Jacqueline Laurita was reportedly in preliminary discussions to join the new season in a friend capacity, but these negotiations ultimately did not materialise.
Interestingly, Laurita did film an appearance on RHUGT alongside Melissa Gorga, though it remains uncertain whether this footage will be included in the final edit.
Judge's Defiant Stance
During a recent interview on Jeff Lewis Live, Tamra Judge made her intentions for the upcoming season abundantly clear, vowing to 'blow things up' while acknowledging that viewers might not want to witness continued conflict with Beador. 'I'll tell you right now, after how they treated me last year, I'm gonna f***ing blow things up,' she declared.
A surprised Lewis responded, 'I thought you blew things up last year!' to which Judge countered, 'No, I didn't. I was in a very sad situation and I wasn't happy.'
Upcoming RHUGT Season Details
Meanwhile, the forthcoming sixth season of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip is scheduled to air later this year. In addition to Gunvalson and Bryant, the main cast features Luann de Lesseps, Porsha Williams, Teresa Giudice, Kyle Richards, and Lisa Barlow.
The season will also include appearances from several iconic former Housewives, such as Nene Leakes, Eileen Davidson, and Kim Zolciak, among others. Peacock released a statement describing the series: 'In this special event series, the Housewives make their way through some of the most memorable locations in the franchise's history. Starting where it all began in Orange County and culminating in an epic east coast grand finale, each stop will feature appearances by fan favorites from different cities to pay tribute to the past, embrace the present, and look toward the many miles still ahead.'
The statement continued, 'Along the way, viewers can expect nostalgic reunions, heartfelt revelations, effortless humor, and the larger-than-life dynamics that only Housewives can deliver.'
Representatives from Bravo, along with Tamra Judge and Shannon Beador, have been contacted for comment regarding these developments.
