'The Real Housewives of Orange County' Season 18 Cast Has Some Juicy Drama Ahead

It feels like we were on a fictional beach-themed soundstage with Andy Cohen and The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 17 cast just yesterday. However, in reality, it's been almost a year since we've seen the cast of Bravo's first 'wives installment, and we've been impatiently awaiting for their return. In June 2024, the network confirmed the wait for Season 18 was slowly coming to an end.

On June 6, the trailer for Season 18 began circulating on social media.

The Season 18 trailer teased tons of laughs, a trip to London, and — do we even have to say it? — tons of drama ahead amongst the group and in the ladies' personal lives.

Here's what we know about the RHOC Season 18 cast and when fans should expect the juicy season.

Season 17 of RHOC wrapped in October 2023 with a three-part reunion. However, the drama didn't stop there, and some of the reasons had to do with former 'wives star Alexis Bellino.

After leaving RHOC in 2013 and starring on it full-time for Seasons 5-8, Alexis returned to the show as a "friend." In addition to reuniting with Tamra and Heather Dubrow, Alexis will share her romance with Shannon Storms Beador's ex, John Janssen. But more on that later!

Shannon is ready to reclaim her orange after what her Bravo bio describes as "a very difficult year." Shannon became single in 2022 after she and John (you know, Alexis' current main squeeze) ended their three-year relationship. She was also arrested in October 2023 for a DUI hit-and-run, which the trailer shows her discussing on RHOC. Based on the reel, Shannon's DUI resulted in tension between her and her Tres Amigas sister, Tamra.

Mrs. Fancy Pants, Heather is also back for another season of flaunting her wealth while being a shade assassin. The trailer shows her continued friction with Gina Kirschenheiter and new issues with Emily Simpson. Between the dramas, Heather continues to remind us how broke we are. As her bio says, she and her husband Terry "find themselves routinely commuting between Orange County and their new estate in Beverly Hills." Ahh, to be wealthy!

Season 18 of The Real Housewives of Orange County introduced Bravo fans to a newbie named Katie Ginella. Katie is a former golf reporter and is close friends with Gina. Gina shared in the trailer how excited she was to have a friend to hang with her and her BFF, Emily.

Katie was born in South Korea and is a mother of four, with children ranging in age from 6 to 19. Her husband, Matt Ginella, is also a professional journalist.

While Katie already has a friend in the cast, she reportedly gets on Heather's bad side this season. Luckily, Katie is already connected in the Housewives world, as she's also good friends with Sutton Stracke of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Vicki may have left RHOC in 2020 after 14 consecutive seasons, but the OG never turns down an invitation to "whoop it up" with the existing castmates. Vicki returned for a few Season 18 cameos and will likely give us more context on her and Tamra's social media beef.

Tamra's Bravo bio shows the RHOC fan favorite is turning over a new leaf in Season 18. Now that she's "no longer a Tres Amiga," Tammy's season will show her exploring other friendships within the circle, including her reconnection with Heather. However, she and Jennifer Pedranti are trying to move forward after Tamra shares her disapproval of Jennifer's relationship with Ryan Boyaijian.

Although she has another friend around in Season 18, Gina Kirschenheiter will still deal with several relatable moments as the season progresses. The realtor's professional career is on the upswing, but her personal life will take a hit. According to her Bravo bio, Gina and her boyfriend, Travis Mullen, decided to live separately while continuing their relationship. Gina tearfully said in the trailer for the season that the move has to do with Travis's ex-wife.

Jennifer made her mark in her debut season of RHOC in Season 17. In her sophomore season, Season 18, fans can expect more of the same. She and her boyfriend, Ryan, are still together and better than ever, much to Tamra's chagrin. The new season will show Jennifer and Ryan's engagement, her battling her ex-husband, William Pedranti, in divorce court, and the bombshell news of Ryan allegedly being involved in a $16 million gambling scheme.

Emily is adjusting to the woman she is now in Season 18 of RHOC. Her Bravo bio says she's adjusting to her "new healthy lifestyle" after losing 40 lbs, stating her "obsession with the gym" has affected her interpersonal relationships.

Also, Emily isn't afraid to speak her mind this season and will be "questioning the ladies on everything from integrity to intentions."

The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 18 will premiere on Thursday, July 11. The new season is moving from its Wednesday night timeslot. While the change seems sudden, we're sure fans won't notice the difference since the cast will bring the drama on social media all week long!

Stream all seasons of The Real Housewives of Orange County on Peacock.