Vicki Gunvalson, Tamra Judge, Heather Dubrow & The Stars Of ‘RHOC’ Celebrate 20 Years Of ‘The Real Housewives’ Franchise

'RHOC' Season 20 Cast — (L-R) Jo de la Rosa, Jennifer Pedranti, Shannon Beador, Tamra Judge, Vicki Gunvalson, Emily Simpson, Gina Kirschenheiter, Carmella Garcia, and Heather Dubrow Todd Williamson / Bravo

The Real Housewives of Orange County is celebrating 20 seasons on Bravo, and the stars of the franchise are marking the milestone.

A milestone celebration could not be complete without the OG of the OC, Vicki Gunvalson. The entrepreneur and insurance maven returned to the franchise after a five-season break and continues to show why she is beloved by viewers two decades later.

Jo de la Rosa, who was also part of the cast when the show made its debut in 2006, will guest star on the show when the RHOC stars celebrate the momentous event.

The Season 20 cast also includes Tamra Judge, Shannon Storms Beador, Heather Dubrow, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson, and Jennifer Pedranti.

New to the cast this season is Carmella Garcia, who will quickly find herself at odds with the OG, Vicki Gunvalson.

Ahead of the RHOC premiere on Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo, Deadline talked to the show’s stars to find out how they felt about being part of the celebration of 20 seasons of Real Housewives in the franchise that started it all.

Vicki Gunvalson

Image Credit: Todd Williamson / Bravo

“I just can’t believe how fast 20 years left us,” Gunvalson told us. “I mean, it just went so fast and I think it makes you appreciate life every year and feels great.”
Jo de la Rosa

Image Credit: Todd Williamson / Bravo

“It feels a little bit like a dream because I can’t believe it’s been 20 years,” De la Rosa told Deadline. “It’s gone by so fast and I feel proud to be a part — even a tiny part — of history [and] to have been with the girls [who] started it all.”

She continued, “I could not have imagined that when we started this, it was going to be this weird, crazy — because there wasn’t reality TV back then except for like Road Rules and Laguna Beach. So I thought it was just gonna be like a little blip, cameras following us around and then that was gonna be that. Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine it turning into what it’s become.”
Tamra Judge

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“I am sometimes just shocked that I’m still here,” Judge told Deadline. “I started the show with my daughter when she was like three years old, maybe. And now she is celebrating Season 20 with me by moving out.”
Shannon Beador

Image Credit: Todd Williamson / Bravo

“I’m incredibly grateful,” Beador told Deadline. “It was never in my wheelhouse, so to have spent 12 years with the show, even that number is crazy to me. To be a part of this group and a part of this franchise — I’m very grateful.”

Despite being one of the longest-running Housewives, Beador told us that she still can’t believe it sometimes.

“I’m grateful, and I’m blessed,” she said. “Who would have thought? That’s the thing, I think all the time… Sometimes it still doesn’t hit me that I’m actually on a television show. Someone interrupts me [in public], and I think, ‘Did I drop something?’ I’m just incredibly grateful. I’ve had so much fun and it has been an adventure that not a lot of people get to take. To be able to have the opportunity, it’s been amazing.”
Heather Dubrow

Image Credit: Todd Williamson / Bravo

“I can’t believe it, to be honest with you,” Dubrow told Deadline. “If you had told me I’d ever be on reality on reality television all those years ago, I would have said, ‘Absolutely not!’”

She continued, “If you’d have told me I would have done a bunch of years, leave, and come back, I would have said, ‘Absolutely not. ‘” Can’t imagine that.’ And here I am. I mean, I’ve been involved with this franchise for 15 years. This is my 10th season, and you know I’m grateful. It’s a difficult show to do. It’s hard to open up your life and share everything that we all share, but it’s been very net positive, and I’m just very grateful for the platform, and for Bravo, and Andy [Cohen], and everyone.”
Gina Kirschenheiter

Image Credit: Todd Williamson / Bravo

“It’s really cool,” Kirschenheiter told Deadline about being part of the 20th season of RHOC. “Honestly, just being here, taking all this in has been really big. It’s been really major. I never thought I would be a part of anything like this. I didn’t even really understand what was going on when I first became a part of it, and to have been able to share my life with everybody for the past eight years, and to have been received and supported has been incredible for me, and it’s really, it’s been a gift to me to be a part of all this.”
Emily Simpson

Image Credit: Todd Williamson / Bravo

“It’s so exciting to be part of Orange County,” Simpson told Deadline. “I just feel very honored to be a part of Orange County. I think it’s very special to be a housewife. It feels like a sorority, where only housewives kind of know what we deal with and go through.”

She continued, “But then to be a part of Orange County, to be a part of, you know, the first [Housewives franchise] it means a lot, it’s very special.”
Jennifer Pedranti

Image Credit: Todd Williamson / Bravo

“Shocking,” Pedranti said about her feelings about being part of RHOC Season 20. “I think every year, ‘I bet I’m not coming back,’ and then every year I’m like, ‘Wow, I’m back,’ and to be a part of season 20 is.. I don’t even know how you put it into words. It’s so unbelievable.”
Carmella Garcia

Image Credit: Todd Williamson / Bravo

As a first-season housewife, Garcia said of being part of RHOC Season 20, “Absolutely surreal. I still feel like it’s a pinch-me [moment]. So I’m so incredibly grateful. The franchise is amazing, and I’m just lucky to be a part of it.”