The Real Housewives of Orange County is back for season 17! Tamra Judge makes her triumphant return to the franchise to shake things up after first exiting the show in early 2020 and joins returning 'Wives Heather Dubrow, Shannon Storms Beador, Gina Kirschenheiter and Emily Simpson. Rounding out the group is newcomer Jennifer Pedranti, introduced to the ladies through Tamra, and RHOBH veteran Taylor Armstrong, who marks the first Housewife to switch cities as she joins the OC ladies as a friend.
ET spoke with Tamra at 2022's BravoCon, where she talked "saving" the long-running franchise.
"I don't say things I don't feel, of course, I felt that way," Tamra said when asked if she meant it when she said at a BravoCon taped episode of Watch What Happens Live that she "saved" the show by returning for season 17. "Well, I would have to say, when I left, there were a lot of cast members who danced on my grave."
"And you see me navigate through that as the season starts and goes forward," she teased.
As far as her relationship with Heather, who made her long-awaited return to the show in season 16, Tamra said it's been "great," although they've definitely had their fair share of ups and downs.
"It's been great," Tamra insisted. "We've had our ups and downs, and you'll definitely see that, but overall, the cast is good. We have a really good cast, it's a very strong cast. It really feels like old school housewives, it really does."
Tamra continued, "I think having two years off -- it did me well."
Watch the full first look at her return and the new season here:
According to Bravo, fans have a lot to look forward to this season of Orange County.
After a two-year break, Tamra is back with a new perspective and is ready to repair a few broken friendships. But she comes in hot and her reconciliation with Shannon does not go as planned. Tamra is holding everyone accountable, especially her friend Jennifer, but when the narrative doesn't add up, it leads to some explosive confrontations.
Shannon is trying to keep the positive energy around as she looks to mend her fractured friendship and rebuild trust with her former bestie Tamra. Once Tamra and Shannon clear the air, it makes way for the Tres Amigas to reunite as the OG of the OC Vicki Gunvalson joins the fun for tequila and keg stands. When the group brings up concerns about the status of her relationship with John Janssen, Shannon continuously reassures them everything's fine but the spotlight on her relationship makes her question who she can trust in the group. As the whispers become louder, things quickly take a turn for the worse during a long weekend in Mexico and she struggles to keep her relationship afloat.
With her twins off to college on opposite coasts, Heather embraces a new chapter of her life. Determined to dive back into her acting career and launch a new business venture, Heather questions whether she can accomplish it all. With the ladies, Heather lands herself in the middle of Tamra and Shannon's feud, but when they finally reconcile, she wonders where she fits in between their friendship.
Gina and Travis join forces in real estate, hoping to be a dynamic duo, but first she has to pass the exam and get her license. When one of the ladies tells a story about infidelity, it sets Gina back emotionally and she is forced to deal with repressed emotion about her ex's affair. She is informed that her style of friendship is not up to Heather's standards, but as Gina works to prove her loyalty, she feels continually shut down. With Tamra back in the group, Gina feels it's complicating her bond with the women, and when she gets involved in the chatter about Shannon's relationship, her past comes back to haunt her.
With her husband Shane working as a full-time lawyer, Emily fulfills her dreams of being a stay-at-home mom as she supports Annabelle's modeling aspirations, while continuing to help the wrongly convicted as part of the California Innocence Project. In a turn of events, Emily reconnects with Tamra, as the two develop a close friendship after working through their tumultuous past. Never leaving room for unanswered questions, she seeks the truth from all her friends, but finds herself in hot water with Shannon and Heather when she shares her own opinions.
Brought into the group through Tamra, new 'Wife and yoga studio owner Jennifer is a mother of five with children ranging from five to 18. She is currently navigating her recent split from her husband, Will, who runs her family business, as they share a home. Her alleged affair with her now-boyfriend and CUT Fitness member Ryan has been the subject of the gossip mill in town. Her friendship with Tamra is put to the test, as she is forced to explain the rumors and confront difficult truths.
Taylor moved to Orange County nearly 10 years ago and is brought into the circle after becoming fast friends with Tamra. As Taylor pursues an acting career and is offered her first movie role, she seeks coaching and advice from Heather. However, Taylor feels slighted when Heather dismisses her offer to be a part of the cast, causing a tidal wave of discussions with the group about Heather's character, and an epic showdown about IMDB credits.
The Real Housewives of Orange County returns with a supersized premiere on Wednesday, June 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.
RELATED CONTENT:
