Although a release date has yet to be announced, season 16 of Bravo's long-running reality TV series The Real Housewives of Orange County (RHOC) will reportedly feature major casting changes. According to cheatsheet.com (via Instagram account Deuxmoi), most of the cast members have not been asked to return for the upcoming season, while the recently departed Tamra Judge poised to make a series comeback. Gretchen Rossi may also return to the series if Tamra declines.
That leaves roughly 10 or so housewives who've left the show, some as easy as season 5 and some as recently as season 15. Here's what they've been up to since departing the series.
Alexis Bellino
First joining the cast of RHOC during season 5 in 2009, Alexis Bellino remained a series regular for four consecutive seasons. She returned as a Guest in season 12 and season 14, but has branched out to various reality TV shows since.
Professionally, Bellino appeared in 11 episodes of Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars in 2019 and two episodes of Below Deck in 2020. Bellino also split from her husband Jim in 2018, and is currently engaged to Don't Think Twice producer Andy Bohn.
Gretchen Rossi
Memorable housewife Gretchen Rossi remained a series regular from season 4 to season 8, before returning as a Guest in season 12. Since departing the show, Rossi has stayed in the reality TV realm while also giving birth for the first time.
Along with her boyfriend, Slade Smiley, Rossi welcomed daughter Skylar Gray on July 10, 2019. While currently focusing on motherhood, Rossi appeared on the talk show The Doctors multiple times from 2014 to 2019.
Lynne Curtin
From 2008 to 2015, Lynne Curtin appeared on 36 episodes of RHOC. She was a main housewife in seasons 4 and 5, and a Guest in seasons 6 and 10. Unfortunately, Lynne has filed for divorce from her husband Frank. According to Bravo, Lynne filed for divorce in 2019 but, as of December 2020, is still married.
Since departing the show, Curtin has remained in the extended RHOC orbit. She has appeared as herself in the interview/recap shows What's Up Orange County and Jeff Lewis, as recently as 2018 and 2019.
Tammy Knickerbocker
Tammy Knickerbocker joined the main cast of RHOC in season 2. She stayed for two consecutive seasons until returning as a Guest in seasons 4, 5, 6, and 10.
Unlike most of her fellow housewives, Tammy has largely remained out of the limelight since her time on the show. In 2016, Tammy tweeted "new job at Heartland Payment Systems" but has remained relatively quiet otherwise.
Lauri Peterson
Original RHOC and former supermodel Lauri Peterson was a series mainstay for the first four seasons before becoming a Guest in season 5 and a Friend in season 8. While she has remained away from television since then, she's had a very dramatic personal life.
The thrice-married Peterson, who is still wedded to George Peterson, adopted her son's daughter, Kennady, in 2015. According to ocregister, Lauri left the show to focus on her family.
Jeana Keough
1980s actress Jeana Keough spent the first five seasons of RHOC as a main cast member. She then became a Guest in season 6 and a Friend in seasons 7, 10, 11, and 12. Since her 65-episode run on the series, Keough has continued to work as a real estate agent while becoming a first-time grandma.
After splitting with her husband Matt Keough in 2004, Jeana finalized their divorce in 2019. Three years prior in 2016, Keough welcomed her first grandchild when her daughter gave birth to a baby girl named Decker.
Heather Dubrow
Heather Dubrow joined the main cast of RHOC in season 7, remaining there for five years until her departure at the end of season 11. As one of the few housewives with a bona fide acting career prior to joining the cast, Dubrow has continued to work in film and television.
Since leaving the show in 2016, Dubrow was cast as Natasha in the series Young & Hungry. She still remains married to Terry J. Dubrow, a Newport Beach plastic surgeon with whom she has four children. In the past three years, Heather and Terry have written The Dubrow Diet: Interval Eating to Lose Weight and Feel Ageless, and The Dubrow Keto Fusion Diet.
Jo De La Rosa
Jo De La Rosa spent the first two seasons of RHOC as a full-time cast member and the next two as a Guest. She left the show to star in her own reality spinoff series, Date My Ex: Jo and Slade.
Since leaving the show, Jo has pursued a career in marketing in Los Angeles. In 2015, she announced her engagement to Mark Lovette, founder, and CEO of Empire Digital.
Tamra Judge
Tamra Judge was the second-longest tenured housewife in RHOC history behind only Vicki Gunlavson. While both left the show after season 14, they remain busier than ever.
Tamra Judge made her producorial debut in 2020 via the documentary film Erasing Family, a comprehensive examination of marital divorce and the adverse effects it has on the children involved. Directed by Ginger Gentile, the film centers on several young adults attempting to reunite with their estranged family members and repair their relationship. Tamra is also still married to Eddie Judge.
Vicki Gunvalson
Vicki Gunvalson has appeared on 259 of 281 RHOC episodes aired to date. The face of the franchise spent the first 13 seasons as the Main cast member and one as a Friend before departing the series following season 14.
Since her very recent departure, Gunvalson has launched her own spinoff talk show in 2020, Whoop It Up With Vicki. The show co-stars familiar faces Andy Cohen and the aforementioned Tamra Judge. Gunvalson also participated in the 2020 benefit show CovAID Festival Live! alongside Billie Joe Armstrong, Joe Theismann, Forbes Riley, and more.