The Real Housewives of Orange County kicked off its highly anticipated 17th season last week with veteran Housewife Tamra Judge making her grand return after a two-year hiatus. However, not all the ladies were jumping on the Tamra bandwagon. Fellow “tres amiga” Shannon Beador is revealing what’s in store for their long-estranged friendship, which cast member is “afraid” of Tamra, and where she stands with ex John Janssen after their split.
Before getting into her “nasty path” back to a friendship with Tamra, Shannon says that her relationship with co-star Heather Dubrow is still a bit stormy ahead of the new season.
“I have a few a-ha moments about certain cast members and maybe what their motivations are that just kind of hit me, “Shannon teased to Entertainment Tonight, telling the outlet that her biggest “a-ha” moment may come from someone whose “last name might start with a D.”
Speaking of damaged relationships, Tamra has steadfastly maintained that Shannon “ghosted” her after she was let go from RHOC, leading to an estrangement between the two. However, Shannon refutes the claims.
“I mean, I know what happened and I have my own beliefs,” she said. “If she doesn’t believe that way, then, yes, we have to say [agree to disagree] but to me, a fact is a fact.”
Shannons believes that seeing Tamra return to the show was a “shock” to the cast. She says that many women celebrated Tamra’s exit from the show, and now that she’s back, they’re “afraid.”
“All of the sudden, they’re saying, ‘Oh, we’re excited she’s back!’” Shannon told the outlet. “So, I think that fear was a huge motivator for some of the cast members. They don’t want to get on Tamra’s bad side, because I’ve been there, too, and it’s not a fun place to be. But, you know, I just think they’re afraid.”
Enter Heather.
Shannon admitted that she believes Heather is afraid of Tamra “the most.” She then teased an upcoming moment that will see Heather trying to debunk an off-camera conversation she had with Shannon during a cast trip to Aspen, Colorado. (Anyone getting RHOBH flashbacks?)
“Well, first of all is — this will become an issue on the show — but there was a moment when we were in Aspen, off camera, where I said, ‘Your friendship doesn’t make sense to me, with Tamra,’” Shannon recalled. “‘It just seems like you guys wouldn’t be as close as you were…’ and she said, ‘I’m afraid,’ and walked away. She denies that she said that.”
While the rest of the cast seemingly “embraced” Tamra, Shannon said that she had the hardest time adjusting to the cast shift, revealing that she changed her approach when confronting her friend.
“Everyone else kind of embraced her,” she noted. “There was a lot of talk, a lot of buzz, speculation, but I was shocked. I really never thought that I would have an opportunity to reconnect with her, so I just thought, that’s it. We’re never gonna be friends anymore. I mean, I wasn’t nervous about it, but I just came into it and, I think you see it in the first episode of, I’m gonna vocalize how I feel all of the time now, ’cause a lot of the times I would be quiet, in deference to the friendship, but I think that hurt me. So, if she’s gonna come back, I’m gonna be more vocal.”
Did Shannon’s new tactic work? She says that she and Tamra are in a better place today after going through an “absolute process” and ultimately deciding the friendship was worth fighting for.
“I mean, you can focus on the few negatives, or you can focus on a six-year positive, because we had such a close friendship; and when we realized that, and had that discussion, it was like snap the figures, we’re back to the friendship we had like no time had passed, and I think that is the true test of what a friendship is all about is, if you can get back there that quickly.”
You can’t have the tres amigas without the third amiga. Season 17 will see RHOC OG Vicki Gunvalson make her way back for an episode or two. Shannon said getting her, Tamra, and Vicki back together was just like old times.
“It is just like it was before,” Shannon gushed. “There’s just kind of this silly, zany dynamic that the three of us have together, and so it was a lot of fun — a lot of fun. … You’re gonna see [Vicki] a few times. I mean, I wish that you saw her more, actually, ’cause she just has this quirkiness to everything.”
Unfortunately, not all of Shannon’s relationships could be as easily mended. A “blindsided” Shannon split from her boyfriend of three years, John, “literally one week after filming wrapped.”
“I’ve now moved on from the relationship, so that’s a good thing, but I really don’t know how it’s gonna work out,” she says in reference to watching their life together on upcoming episodes. “It was a tough pill for me to swallow, ’cause our relationship is an issue on the show this season, as well.”
However, the former couple have been able to salvage a friendship out of the heartbreak, according to Shannon. Even if it’s not permanent.
“We are in a good place,” she revealed. “Am I still upset by what happened and how our relationship ended? Absolutely, but I would prefer to not have bitterness inside of me. So, I’m content with the way we have things right now, but we’ve discussed, as soon as I get into a serious relationship or he does, I mean, this friendship’s gonna kind of have to go to the wayside, ’cause it’s not really appropriate.”
As for what’s next for Shannon, she says, “Here I am, 59, starting over, and I’m not gonna lie, I’m having a lot of fun right now,” adding “I’m going to be moving, as well, it’s going to be a new start for me.”
Season 17 of The Real Housewives of Orange County airs Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo.